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1,066 people sought couples/marriage therapy help at Reston in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a couples/marriage can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 79 therapists in Virginia available for an online or in-person session.
Michael Monahan

Hear from Michael Monahan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

View Michael Monahan's profile

What is your go-to approach for couples/marriage counseling?

My go-to approach in couples therapy and marriage counseling consists of the application of three main historical icons in family therapy and attachment theory. Salvador Minuchin's structural/functional model, Murray Bowen's family systems, and Murray Bowen's attachment work bring rich historical context in sessions to explore family history and identify patterns of behavior that are contributing to unhealthy family dynamics, communication challenges, and sense of self and attachment issues. This process allows clients to identify triggers, historical traumas, and defense mechanisms that originated in early life stages but are no longer needed for a healthy adult relationship.

What tools do you teach in couples/marriage counseling?

A lot of the tools and strategies are focused on making small and realistic changes until the family is able to disrupt unhealthy patterns and find solutions to slow down and listen to one another so they can understand, not just respond to, their partner. In sessions, we focus on the most serious topics and create a process/system that guides them towards negotiating, expressing feelings (Feelings Wheel) in real-time, and learning when to compromise. I utilize different models as well as genograms, ecomaps, cultural grams, and other psychoeducational material (Gottman, 4 Horsemen) to highlight differences and historical family systems issues to move towards solution-focused outcomes.

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in couples/marriage counseling?

I know clients are making progress when there is a healthy increase in emotional connection in interpersonal relationships and clear boundaries/expectations within a couple that encourage an interdependent partnership based on shared values. Also, when there is a natural or organic reconnection that was not present when they entered therapy.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement couples/marriage counseling?

Clients can supplement their time in couples/marriage therapy by completing agreed-upon assignments, setting time aside each week to emotionally connect/bond, and developing a system that creates a safe space to address conflicts, negotiate a shared outcome/resolution, and decide on what is needed to reset/recover.

What should someone do to prepare for starting couples/marriage counseling?

To prepare for starting a couples/marriage therapy session, an individual should look inward and decide what they are willing to do to create an open, honest, engaging dialogue toward a meaningful outcome that will help their relationship grow.

Starting Couples/marriage therapy

What is couples & marriage counseling?

Couples therapy and marriage counseling, also known as relationship counseling, helps couples work through their specific relationship issues. Some examples of common focuses within couples therapy and marriage counseling include:

  • Jealousy
  • Trust issues
  • Infidelity
  • Opposing values
  • Different visions for the future
  • Disagreements in parenting
  • Lack of trust
  • Financial distress
  • Sex issues

What type of therapy is used in couples therapy?

The types of therapy used in couples and marriage counseling include:

  • The Gottman Method
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT)
  • Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
  • Strength-based therapy

What kind of therapist is best for couples?

At Thriveworks, Couples/marriage therapy is led by licensed professionals — often licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) — who are experts in their field and best-equipped to help couples.

What is the Gottman Method of couples therapy?

The Gottman Method of couples therapy is a research-supported approach designed to enhance relationships by bolstering the bond between partners, resolving conflicts, and fostering shared meaning in their relationship through comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions that improve communication, trust, and the overall health of the partnership.

How to tell if I need couples therapy?

If you’re facing persistent relationship problems, communication breakdowns, or unresolved conflicts that are impacting your emotional well-being and happiness, Couples/marriage therapy may be beneficial for you.

Should every couple go to couples therapy?

While marriage and couple’s counseling is typically recommended for couples who are experiencing persistent or severe relationship issues, any relationship can benefit from attending these sessions.

Is couples & marriage counseling conducted in person or online?

Marriage and couples counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you and your partner.

How long does couples & marriage counseling last?

On average, couples attend marriage and couples counseling for 12 weeks. However, couples & marriage counseling may last longer or shorter, dependent on the couples’ needs, the challenges they’d like to work through, and the pace of their progress.

How much does couples & marriage counseling cost?

At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.

Need more help deciding?

Counseling for Couples and Marriages at Reston, VA—Fairfax Couples Therapy

No matter how perfectly they begin, every relationship faces difficulties. If you are facing a strained relationship with your significant other, how can you get the magic back?

The best thing to do is reach out for help, and many relationships have found the help they need through couples and marriage counseling at Thriveworks Reston, VA. The counselors and psychologists at Thriveworks in Fairfax are ready with their knowledge and expertise. Reach out today to get started.

Common Relationship Issues

There is always something to fight about. There’s always tension swirling about. Maybe bickering and nagging have become constant and normal. Sometimes, there is no particular problem, but the joy and fun have filtered out of the relationship. Instead of living together, you are existing together. Instead of living connected lives, you are living parallel lives.

With today’s high rates of divorce and break-ups, families are torn apart and individuals experience deep pain when relationships end. What is supposed to be a place of safety, joy, and love becomes a source of hurt, miscommunication, and sadness. Often, the unhappiness comes about through mundane, simple things that have underlying meaning.

But what if the break-ups and divorces were avoidable? What if you and your partner had the skills to identify and solve the problems in your relationship? So many people want to have a healthier relationship, but do not know how. The counselors at Thriveworks Reston, VA in Fairfax work with all kinds of relationships. They are trained for marital and relational issues and are ready to help.

If you are experiencing relational difficulty with your partner, consider seeking help sooner rather than later. Unhealthy, unhappy relationships can cause stress that has a negative impact on you individually. Furthermore, the sooner couples seek help for relational problems, the better outcomes they experience.

How Can We Help?

Many couples want to renew the magic they once had and bring life and energy back to their lives together. What would that look like? How can Thriveworks Reston, VA help?

  • Improving Communication: so many couples love each other and respect each other. They want to work together well, but have difficulty communicating through their different personalities or perspectives on life. Thriveworks counselors know what healthy, fruitful communication looks like; they help couples build new listening and communications skills; they create exercises so that couples can practice and live with healthy communication.
  • Identifying Root Problems: many problems are linked to a particular event or pattern within your relationship that can cause residual harm. When did the difficulty in the relationship start? Is there individual work each person needs that would help the relationship? How does your own family history impact how you relate to your partner? Thriveworks counselors are trained to guide couples through underlying issues that may be causing problems in their relationship. Instead of falling into these old, harmful habits, couples can pursue new, healthy ways of relating.
  • Increasing Respect: Some relationships face a total breakdown of respect wherein one or both partners have lied, cheated, or harmed the other in some way. In these cases, therapists may work to unearth the feelings behind these disrespectful actions and the difficult feelings that arise in response to them. Thriveworks counselors may assign homework that rebuilds trust and respect.

Scheduling Relationship Counseling at Thriveworks Fairfax

Thriveworks Reston, VA in Fairfax has appointments available. We work with your schedule to see you as soon as possible because we don’t like making our clients wait. Call today to schedule an appointment. We also offer convenient evening and weekend sessions, accept most major insurances, provide in-person and online care, and more.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Reston therapists and counselors accept 29 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | Exchange

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

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Self-pay costs at Reston
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Thriveworks Reston reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Michael was super in working with my wife, me and sometimes our son. He is a good listener, offers suggestions but in the end, we had to make our own decisions. It was good to bounce ideas off him and his manner makes one feel comforted after discussing issues with him. He also responded to my emails and emergency phone calls.
Read more Michael was super in working with my wife, me and sometimes our son. He is a good listener, offers suggestions but in the end, we had to make our own decisions. It was good to bounce ideas off him and his manner makes one feel comforted after discussing issues with him. He also responded to my emails and emergency phone calls.
Reston Mar 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Reston is located on Roger Bacon Dr., which is right off of Wiehle Ave. We share an office building with SCS Engineers, FVCBank, and Parabon Computation, to name a few. We’re also right by Fairfax fields and parks.

Phone number

(703) 782-3073

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • English
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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