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.
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.
At Thriveworks, we take most major forms of insurance, which means that many of our clients only pay $0-$50 co-pay per session. However, there are also self-pay options that sit around $200 per session, depending on the service and location, for those who are out-of-network.
The playwright George Bernard Shaw once stated, “Marriage is an alliance entered into by a man who can’t sleep with the window shut, and a woman who can’t sleep with the window open.” This is an oversimplification for the sake of comedy, of course, but the quote gets at a universal truth: people who sleep in the same bed can be very different! The preferences, communication styles, and habits of people who love each can vary widely. This makes human love lives interesting, but it can also create static in intimate relationships.
Fortunately, couples therapy and marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA can help. Sometimes partners are too emotionally involved in a situation to see it clearly without the insights of an unbiased outsider. The licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) at Thriveworks can facilitate honest communication between spouses in a safe zone where different perspectives are heard and valued. Couples therapy can lead to deeper emotional bonds, fewer misunderstandings, and more resilience in the face of adversity.
Can Couples Therapy Resolve Conflict?
Couples therapy and marriage counseling doesn’t eliminate conflicts, but it can teach couples how to argue better. For example, some couples find that they have the same conflict over and over without ever getting anywhere. In couples therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA spouses have an open forum in which to explore the roots of the conflict and why they can’t advance their understanding. Couples therapy can also work on the following relationship elements:
- Communication skills
- Emotional management
- Addiction or substance abuse issues
- Sexual cycles
- Mutual support during difficult times, especially during serious life changes like marriage, illness, and aging
Do Marriage Counselors Take Sides?
Marriage counselors are highly trained to see issues from the perspective of each party. That means they don’t take sides or assign blame. Instead, they look for practical solutions and compromises. They also teach partners to see problems from the other person’s point of view. In relationship counseling, the therapist wants to help spouses achieve their goals. Clients may come to couples therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA with any of these valuable objectives in mind:
- To feel more loved.
- To feel more appreciated.
- To model a healthier intimacy for children.
- To reconnect as friends.
- To reignite a spark.
- To reduce tension at home.
- To blend families after a second marriage.
- To stop repeating the same fight.
- To improve one’s sex life.
- To identify where a partner may need individual support (perhaps through therapy for a mental health condition like depression or anxiety).
- To learn how to create boundaries.
- To learn to express needs and desires
- To heal from an affair.
- To become unstuck.
- To cope with empty nest syndrome.
What Does Premarital Counseling Accomplish?
Premarital counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA is a way for couples to work through issues that will inevitably come up in marriage. Talking about goals in advance can help prevent conflicts later on. For example, premarital counseling may cover the following topics:
- Where a couple’s core values overlap and where they differ
- The expectations for what roles each partner should play in the marriage
- Notions about children and parenting
- Financial objectives
- Communication styles
- Coping strategies
- Family backgrounds
- Family baggage
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Wedding stress
- Expectations for sex and quality time together
What to Look for in a Couples Therapist or Marriage Counselor
Couples may not agree on every attribute they’re looking for in a couples therapist or marriage counselor, but they can probably agree on the following critical criteria:
- The counselor should be fully licensed in California. At Thriveworks, all mental health providers are fully licensed, nationwide.
- The therapist should be affordable. At Thriveworks, marriage counselors accept most major health insurance plans and offer fair self-pay rates.
- Sessions with the therapist should be convenient and comfortable. At Thriveworks, marriage counselors can hold sessions virtually through secure video conferencing software, or in-person at the modern office in Berkeley, CA. Thriveworks clients can also choose a hybrid model.
- The therapist should be experienced in treating the specific issues that you and your partner are dealing with. At Thriveworks, providers help a diverse array of couples like same-sex, Christian, and interracial.
Reconnect with Your Spouse with Marriage Counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA
Marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA is a premium and affordable way to reconnect with your spouse. Our fully licensed, highly qualified, top-rated counselors use proven techniques to improve relationships.
When you call the Thriveworks office during extended business hours, you’ll reach a human being–not a voicemail–who can help match you to a marriage counselor. Most clients can meet with their provider within 24-48 hours of their initial call.
Don’t let your love grow stagnant. Contact Thriveworks today to get professional support from an exceptional marriage counselor.