If there are problems in a relationship, the best approach would be to fix these issues before they cause further damage along the way. In couples therapy, a certified therapist works with couples. It is a form of psychotherapy that could be offered online through platforms such as Talkspace. Most times, the therapist handling these sessions is an LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist).
The psychologist assists the couple boost relationship satisfaction, solve issues, and use various therapeutic interventions. Even though a couple of therapy sessions could vary based on the theoretical orientation of the therapist, a few general factors are common in practice. These include a concentration on specific issues like jealousy, addiction, and sexual issues—active participation from the psychologist where the therapist treats the relationship as a whole.
What Happens During Couples Therapy?
Typically, couples therapy starts with a few regular interview queries concerning the background of the relationship and exploration into the cultural history, values, and family tree of your partner. Your therapist could utilize the first sessions for intervening in any crisis. After this, the therapist will help the couple detect the problem that will be the center of treatment. The therapist could come up with treatment objectives and plan a treatment structure.
In this treatment period, the psychologist will assist the couple to get some perspective into the dynamics of their relationship. The goal is to help the pair understand the role of one another in the dysfunctional engagements. It will aid them in modifying how they view one another and their relationship. Aside from gaining the right perspective, couples therapy helps people in a relationship change how they interact and their behavior.
Most times, the psychologists will assign homework to the partners to use the skills they picked up during therapy in their daily engagements. Many couples can gain insight into relational trends and better expression of emotions. People also acquire the needed communication and problem-solving skills with their partners quite efficiently.
Who Can Benefit from Couple Therapy?
Couples therapy benefits all sorts of relations despite age, race, and other factors. For instance, a newly engaged couple could discover that premarital counseling is a valuable opportunity for them to address the expectations of their relationship before marriage. Another pair married for 25 years may find couples therapy to be an efficient means to reignite their romance. Couples therapy could solve an existing issue and avoid aggravating challenges.
It could offer a review for a happy duo encountering a transition phase or undergoing heightened stress. Common concerns are tabled during these couple therapy sessions. Some of the issues include regular conflict, infertility, emotional distance, sex, chronic health problems, gambling, substance addiction, parenting, and money.
Bottom Line
In general, couples therapy is excluded from several health insurance covers and could be a bit expensive. The online couple therapy sessions offered by Talkspace could be a less costly option. Therapists from Talkspace have developed a format that facilitates productive discussions, which lead to faster treatment progress.