Can Online Couples Therapy Help You?
A fulfilling and healthy relationship with your spouse or partner can be an enormous source of strength. However, neglecting your connection can cause it to wither imperceptibly until communication problems start to arise. If you’re experiencing relationship issues, you’re not alone.
Most couples have problems at some point in their relationship, and many decide to try couples counseling or marriage therapy with licensed marriage and family therapists. Online relationship counseling and in-person therapy are options that may help to improve communication skills and foster healthy romantic relationships. Below, we’re examining potential reasons for seeking couples therapy, outlining the benefits of online relationship counseling, and discussing the best online therapy platforms.
Why seek online couples therapy?
Work through relationship issues with couples therapy
If you see cracks appearing in your marriage and you cannot effectively handle the problems between the two of you, seeking professional counselors, such as a marriage counselor or family therapist, may save years of unhappiness and heartbreak. Doing nothing, on the other hand, will rarely cause problems to go away and can even cause relatively minor irritations to grow into something much more serious, like mental health concerns. Online counseling and in-person couples therapy are available options to address these issues.
Prevent problems with couples counseling
Even if you don't notice serious problems, family therapy or couples counseling services may help improve communication and make your relationship even stronger. Better communication between you and your partner can help to effectively address problems long before they become serious burdens. The basis of family therapy or online relationship therapy is usually not two people talking to a therapist but two people learning how to talk with each other with the help of a relationship coach.
Online couples therapy with therapists
Online therapy is a convenient, effective method of addressing relationship challenges. If you are concerned about going into a therapist's office, or if you think your partner wouldn't be willing to go, you might try online relationship counseling services, which research shows to be just as effective as in-person couples counseling.
Benefits of online therapy & counseling for couples
The best online couples therapy comes with many benefits, including flexibility of scheduling and the convenience of a virtual therapy session. Many licensed family therapists' practices only run during certain hours on weekdays, sometimes making it difficult for not one but two people to regularly find time in their schedule for traditional therapy appointments.
Convenience of online couples therapy
Online couples counseling, by contrast, can be done at any time from home via text chat, phone conversations, or video sessions. This form of couples therapy may be especially helpful for long-distance couples who spend time apart due to work or other obligations. You don't need to be at the same location to receive online couples therapy services.
Online couples counseling: Connect with therapists from anywhere
Even if you and your partner are in different states, you can both connect with your licensed marriage counselor at the same time at a time that works for both of you. With online counseling platforms like Regain, you can both use in-app messaging with your therapist anytime throughout your week, and they’ll get back to you as soon as they are able. This means that you can both express any thoughts, questions, or concerns as they arise instead of waiting until your next therapy session to address them.
Potential benefits of online couples therapy
Regain therapists are dedicated to helping you and your partner start living a healthier and more fulfilling life using a variety of therapies and techniques, including Imago relationship therapy, narrative therapy, and solutions-focused therapy.
How online couples counseling helps
Even before you're married, engaging in online couples therapy can help bring you and your partner closer together as a lifelong process founded on open and appropriate communication. While there might not be a single way to best achieve this, premarital counseling often identifies things you can both do better, as well as behaviors or relationship patterns to start avoiding. Don't hesitate to seek counseling, and with options like online premarital counseling, it's easier to connect with a professional counselor.
Connect with a therapist through online therapy
Online therapists can support clients from anywhere in the world. When you connect with your therapist using an online therapy platform, you can choose between phone, chat, or live video sessions. In addition, online therapy services and online couples therapy platforms are often more affordable than in-person therapy with licensed therapists. With an online therapy service like BetterHelp or Regain, you typically pay a monthly subscription fee instead of paying per session, which may be more cost-effective than working with an in-person therapist—even one who accepts insurance.
Emotionally focused therapy
An online therapist may guide you through emotionally focused therapy (EFT), which tends to focus on attachment and emotions. EFT may help people understand not only their own emotions but also those of their partner. Some couples participate in EFT through couples group therapy, which may help them learn from other couples.
EFT for individual therapy or couples therapy
If you’re interested in exploring EFT individually, you can discuss it with your own therapist. If you decide to pursue individual therapy, you might search for a mental health professional who accepts insurance. Individual therapy may only be covered if you experience a mental health disorder, but it may be worth asking about coverage. If you don’t have insurance coverage, you might ask about financial assistance or consider virtual couples therapy platforms, which tend to be more affordable than in-person therapy without insurance. If you need more than counseling, such as medication management, you can speak with a psychiatrist.
Looking to improve your relationship?
Takeaway
If you are experiencing relationship challenges, you and your partner don’t have to face them on your own. With Regain, you can be matched with a licensed therapist with training and experience in couple’s therapy. If you prefer, you can also try individual therapy through either Regain or BetterHelp. On both platforms, all therapists are licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, or licensed clinical social workers. If you don’t find a good match, you can always switch therapists if needed. Take the first step toward a healthier relationship and reach out today.
What is the best type of online couples therapy?
There is no one best type of couples counseling. Depending on your relationship concerns, you may want to try the Gottman method or sex therapy. You will also want to check out the therapist qualifications.
How do I do online couples therapy?
You and your partner can schedule sessions for online couples therapy with an individual therapist in their own practice or by signing up for one of the online couples counseling platforms such as Regain. With Regain, you fill out a questionnaire about your needs, and then you and your partner will be connected with an online therapist. You can do phone calls or video conferencing during a couples therapy session.
Does online couples therapy or face-to-face work better?
If you are seeking couples counseling, know that both online counseling services and traditional in person therapy both provide therapy services with qualified therapists and have been proven effective for couples. Face-to-face therapy offers a safe therapy room for your sessions, as well as a more personal connection with your therapist. Online may be a better option if you are grappling with busy schedules and don’t want to commute to a therapist’s office. Online therapy platforms such as BetterHelp can also include benefits such as unlimited messaging with your therapist.
How does online couples therapy work?
Online couples therapy deals with relationship distress and is one of many online mental health services. An online therapist meets with a couple via video conferencing or Zoom call and supports the couple with talk therapy. The couple can discuss family dynamics and conflict resolution strategies, among other topics.
Does couples counseling improve your mental health?
Couples counseling not only can improve a relationship, but it can also improve each parent's mental health. If one partner is dealing with mental illness, they should also seek mental health treatment. They can participate in individual talk therapy or seek out psychiatry services.
What's the difference between marriage counseling and couples counseling?
Marriage counseling and couples counseling are very similar. The difference is that while couples counseling focuses on increasing intimacy and discusses the past and future of the relationship, marriage counseling focuses specifically on the marriage and how it’s working. If your relationship is in crisis and you and your partner have children, you may also want to consider children's therapy.
Should my boyfriend look for couples counseling services?
If you and your boyfriend are experiencing relationship issues and are committed to continuing and improving your relationship, couples counseling could be beneficial.
How can I save my relationship?
Couples therapy is often helpful for couples when they experience issues in their relationship, and it often results in relationship improvement. A therapist can help improve your communication and teach conflict resolution skills. However, both partners need to be committed to the relationship and the therapeutic process for therapy to be effective. If you are in a toxic or abusive relationship, it is worth considering if breaking up is a healthier choice for you.
Do online couples therapists tell you to break up?
Therapists, as mental health experts in clinical psychology or social work, will never tell clients to break up or get divorced. They may, however, suggest a therapeutic separation so that both partners have space to think about the relationship. If a couple chooses to get divorced, they can attend divorce counseling.
How much does couples counseling cost?
The cost of couples counseling can range widely if you pay out of pocket, going as high as $300/hour, depending on insurance, type of counseling, geographical location, and more. Insurance plans can pay for couples therapy that is deemed medically necessary. If you have health insurance, you can always see if a therapist will accept insurance from your provider. The online couples counseling cost with platforms such as BetterHelp is much more affordable than seeing most therapists in individual practice.
- Previous Article
- Next Article