Couples therapy works by helping couples identify and better navigate their unique challenges. Following an initial assessment of the couple in terms of strengths and needs, the therapist would then discuss their therapeutic goals and any possible approaches or ways of working together as therapist and couple.
Couples attend sessions together, whether they meet in person or by video. In addition to regular couples therapy sessions, each partner may also be asked to attend a few individual sessions to supplement their progress. This will allow their counselor to get to know each individual better, assess each of their personal needs, and develop the very best treatment plan moving forward.
The author James Dobson once advised, “Don’t marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can’t live without.” Long-term spouses wouldn’t stay committed through the conflicts and the hurt and the heartache if they thought they’d be better off without their partner. Marriage can be incredibly hard. But sometimes being without the person you love can be harder, so people do their best to make it work.
Couples counseling can help reduce the occasional bouts of misunderstanding and distress that occur within every relationship. The licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) at Thrivework in Huntington Beach, CA excel at working with couples who need a little extra support to resolve conflicts, manage stress and adversity, and improve communication. Marriage therapy is a place where couples can feel comfortable talking about their relationship issues. In the safe zone of a relationship counseling session, couples can reinforce their strengths and remember why they fell in love in the first place.
Is Online Marriage Counseling and Therapy Effective?
Countless studies have shown the efficacy of marriage counseling and couples therapy. Most couples are satisfied with the results of therapy in 12 sessions or fewer. People seek guidance from the exceptional LMFTs at Thriveworks for all kinds of reasons. One of the first questions a therapist will ask each partner is what their goals are for therapy. Here are some examples of common goals that a therapist can help facilitate:
- To feel more loved
- To feel more appreciated
- To address various intimacy issues
- To model healthier relationships for children
- To feel like friends again
- To reignite a spark or passion
- To reduce tension and conflict in the household
- To stop repeating the same argument
- To create healthier boundaries
- To openly express needs and desires
- To heal after infidelity
- To cope with empty nest syndrome
- To talk through a midlife crisis
- To safely address some concerns before marriage (in the case of premarital counseling)
- To process trauma together
- To cope with grief
- To cope with infertility depression and anxiety
- To identify individual mental health conditions that could benefit from support (For example, one spouse’s depression might be affecting both partners.)
What Is the Best Marital Therapy?
The best marital therapy approach may depend on a couples’ individual goals and personalities. Each treatment plan is personalized to the couple. At Thriveworks in Huntington Beach, CA, the top-rated marriage counselors may use any of the following modalities:
- Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)
- Behavioral couples therapy (BCT)
- The Gottman method
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
All of these approaches can address relationship fundamentals like communication, trust, attachment, and affection.
What Are Standard Couples Therapy Exercises?
Clients who are open to structured games and activities may benefit from the following therapeutic exercises:
- State of the union meetings, where couples schedule checkups to discuss their relationship
- Wishlists, where couples write down their individual needs
- Regular gratitude, where couples take time to express their appreciation for each other
- Love letters, where couples pen letters to each other that recall why they connected in the first place
When Should You Seek Marriage Counseling?
The decision to seek marriage counseling is a deeply personal one. Both partners should be on board with the commitment to therapy. Every couple is different, but there are certain “symptoms” that may indicate that partners could benefit from relationship counseling at Thriveworks in Huntington Beach, CA:
- You and your spouse have the same exact argument over and over again, without ever seeming to make emotional progress.
- Your communication has broken down entirely. Either you no longer speak to each other or you only speak to each other negatively.
- You’re dissatisfied with your sex life.
- You or your partner is keeping a secret.
- Someone has been unfaithful or is thinking about being unfaithful.
- Someone feels indifferent about the relationship or the other person.
- Someone is deceiving the other about important financial matters.
- You blame your partner for everything, or you’re blamed for everything.
- You feel like you and your spouse are adversaries, not partners.
Talk to an Exceptional Marriage Counselor at Thriveworks in Huntington Beach, CA
The marriage counselors at Thriveworks in Huntington Beach, CA treat all kinds of couples: straight, LGBTQ+, interracial, young and old. They are compassionate, objective, and insightful. A couples therapist’s job is to facilitate mutual understanding, not assign blame.
The top-rated LMFTs at Thriveworks in Huntington Beach, CA can meet with couples in-person at the modern office, or online through virtual counseling sessions. Both types of session are of the same length and quality. Thriveworks mental health providers accept most major insurance plans. For people paying out of pocket, Thriveworks offers competitive self-pay rates. Additional benefits include email and phone access to one’s provider between therapy sessions.
Call today and get matched with a premium couples therapist right away. We look forward to helping you and your partner thrive!
