Remote Couples Therapy: Strengthening Relationships With Couples Counseling
Couples therapy is widely practiced, with around 70% of psychotherapists worldwide stating that they treat couples. As divorce rates remain at around 50%, many couples may find themselves facing difficulties maintaining their relationships.
Remote couples therapy can be a helpful option for couples who may need relationship support. Couples can connect with a mental health professional via video calls, phone calls, or messaging platforms for assistance when they need it. Remote couples therapy may be especially beneficial for modern-day couples who have busy schedules or live in remote areas.
As with traditional, in-person therapy sessions, remote couple therapy can allow couples to openly discuss their feelings, thoughts, and concerns with the help of a licensed therapist. Read on to learn more about remote couples therapy and its potential benefits.
What is remote couples therapy?
Therapeutic Approaches in Remote Couples Therapy and Online Couples Counseling
Oftentimes, remote couples therapy sessions are held via videoconference or phone calls. These types of sessions allow partners to get therapy from the comfort of their own homes.
There are various therapeutic approaches that might be used in online couples counseling, including the Gottman Method, solution-focused therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and imago relationship therapy. These methods may help with various challenges couples might be facing, such as trouble communicating, problems with trust, or difficulties settling disagreements.
How Remote Couples Therapy and Couples Counseling Help Relationships
There are also different types of counseling that can help with specific situations. For example, some therapists can help couples who are about to get married prepare for their new life together. Others might offer help for people in long-distance relationships who are trying to make things work while being far apart.
Remote couples therapy isn't just for people facing challenges. It may also be helpful for couples experiencing big changes in their lives, such as merging two families together or trying to balance busy work schedules with their personal lives.
Benefits of remote couples therapy
Remote couples therapy may have several benefits that couples may find appealing. Depending on the couple’s lifestyle and preferences, online therapy may offer the following benefits:
Availability for couples counseling
Remote couples therapy can be valuable for those who may not be able to avail of traditional in-person therapy sessions. It can be particularly helpful for people who live in distant or rural areas or have physical conditions that make it difficult to travel from home to appointments.
Because of the widespread availability of the internet and digital devices, couples can attend therapy sessions from anywhere, making counseling available to more people.
Affordable and flexible pricing for couples or individual therapy
Many online couples therapy platforms often have more flexible pricing options compared to in-person sessions. The cost of remote online sessions can be less expensive, making therapy a more affordable choice for couples who need it.
Some online platforms even offer discounts, adjustable fees based on income, and plans. These options can make it possible for couples to get help when they need it without worrying as much about the cost.
Convenience and flexible therapist scheduling
One of the benefits of online relationship counseling is the convenience it offers. Couples can set up appointments when it works best for them, removing the need to travel or take time off from their jobs.
This flexibility can allow therapy sessions to fit into a couple's schedule more easily, helping them maintain a balance between work and personal life.
What you can learn with remote couples therapy
With the help of a licensed therapist, couples therapy sessions can help people improve their relationships in a number of ways. Couples may find that they’re able to learn and implement different strategies to create a stronger bond in their relationships.
Remote couples therapy can improve communication skills and mental health
Remote couples therapy or online marriage counseling may help clients improve their communication skills through different types of therapeutic exercises.
For example, during an online therapy session, a couple might be guided through an exercise called active listening. In this exercise, one partner tells their feelings or thoughts while the other listens without interrupting.
After the first partner finishes speaking, the listening partner then summarizes what they heard to ensure they understood correctly. This process may help both individuals feel heard and understood.
Conflict resolution
Conflict is often a part of any relationship, but unresolved problems can lead to arguments, resentment, and emotional strain. Online couples therapy can help partners create better conflict-resolution strategies.
For instance, a therapist might teach a couple the "time-out" method, where if a conversation becomes too heated, they take a break to calm down before continuing. This guidance can assist couples in managing disagreements in a healthy and constructive way.
Improving intimacy and better mental health
Marriage counseling can also help couples strengthen their bond.
For example, a couple might find that work stress is affecting their emotional intimacy. The therapist can guide them through strategies to manage stress and maintain a strong connection despite external pressures.
Through therapy sessions, couples can overcome obstacles to emotional or physical intimacy and create strategies to improve not just their connection, but also their mental health.
Relationship satisfaction
Remote couples therapy may offer a valuable opportunity for couples to assess their relationship satisfaction and address any concerns.
As an example, a couple might sense that they're stuck in a routine that's causing boredom and dissatisfaction. The therapist can help them understand their relationship dynamics better and suggest strategies to improve their overall satisfaction.
Finding couples counseling or therapy online
When choosing an online couples therapy platform, you may want to make sure that the therapists are licensed and have the appropriate credentials. You can also confirm if the platform offers therapy sessions at an affordable rate or in a format with which you’re comfortable.
Keep in mind that the effectiveness of therapy may vary from person to person, and it can be important to select a platform that suits your needs and preferences.
Effectiveness of online therapy
Research indicates that online couples therapy can be as effective as traditional face-to-face counseling in helping couples with relationship problems. One study found that participants experienced improvements in communication, intimacy, and psychological symptoms, demonstrating the potential effectiveness of remote couples therapy.
Online Therapy and Licensed Therapists for Mental Health and Relationship Support
One online platform, BetterHelp, connects individuals and couples with licensed therapists who may specialize in relationship therapy. The platform uses a thorough matching process that pairs clients with a therapist best suited to manage their specific needs. As a result, couples may be able to effectively work through relationship challenges with an online therapy platform.
Takeaway
What are the mental health benefits of remote couples therapy?
Remote couples therapy can reduce stress, improve communication, and strengthen emotional bonds. It helps partners manage relationship challenges, leading to better mental well-being.
Live counseling sessions done remotely also offer extra benefit for some people. For those without full-coverage health insurance, therapists can be expensive to pay out of pocket. Even for those who have decent coverage, the insurance provider may not fully cover mental health visits. An online platform offers services that can be less expensive than in-office sessions, because their providers don’t need to pay overhead costs on a physical location, and often they can be paid with money from a health savings account, or flexible spending accounts. Even those who don’t accept insurance can work at lower or sliding scale costs, and allow you to pay on a monthly basis. Other services that some find helpful are flexible scheduling, and unlimited messaging with their therapist.
What is the difference between couple and individual therapy?
Couple therapy focuses on improving relationships between partners, while individual therapy helps a person address personal challenges, emotions, and mental health concerns.
What kind of therapist is best for couples?
A licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or a counselor specializing in relationships is best for couples. They are trained to help with communication, trust, and conflict resolution.
Is online therapy good for couples?
Research has found that online counseling can be just as effective as in-person session, and this also holds true for online couples therapy services. Virtual couples therapy, including online premarital counseling and marriage therapy can offer a safe space with an unbiased professional to address issues in family dynamics. A licensed marriage counselor of family therapist can also offer couples tools to better resolve conflict, improve communication, and overall build and maintain a strong relationship.
Online therapy services can be helpful for busy couples as they can access therapy for relationship issues from anywhere, even if they’re not in the same physical location. Live sessions on video chat make virtual therapy sessions easy to attend and fit into two schedules. In fact, scheduling appointments in a therapist’s office is a common barrier for couples who want to seek support.
What are the disadvantages of couples therapy?
Couples therapy may not be effective if one partner is not invested in the process. Both you and your partner should approach couples therapy services with an open mind and a willingness to work on building a healthier relationship. Even the most super helpful couples therapist may not be able to make much progress if one partner is performing all of the emotional labor in the relationship. Individual counseling may be more effective in this case, as the individual invested in change can get support in deciding next steps. Group support can also be helpful in some cases, and joining a support group may help someone struggling to not feel so alone.
What is the most effective form of couples therapy?
According to research, the most effective form of couples therapy is emotionally focused couples therapy. However, your needs may vary depending on what challenges you are experiencing. Some require different specializations, for example if mental health concerns are a part of the overall problem. Couples may seek family therapy if there are family dynamics to address. Sex therapy may be more appropriate for some couples, while some may seek divorce counseling for a positive experience when the marriage feels over. You can check out profiles and online reviews to find out more information about a therapist’s background training and experience. Some may offer a free consultation to help you decide if therapy is right for you.
How long do most couples do therapy?
On average, couples work with a therapist between 12 and 24 sessions. How long any couple spends on therapy can depend on several factors, including the type of therapy and the goals of the couple. For example, engaged couples seeking to learn strategies for building a loving relationship may work with couples therapists for a few sessions, while a married couple experiencing long-standing issues may work with their therapist for several months. Time spent working in a group setting with other couples can also be vastly different, with some groups lasting several sessions, and others going on for multiple years.
What is the success rate of EFT?
Research shows that around 90% of couples who participated in emotionally focused therapy (EFT) report improvement in their relationship.
What percentage of couples break up after couples therapy?
Results can vary widely depending on a number of factors, but research shows that overall, around 70-90% of couples find couples therapy beneficial.
Will couples therapy save my relationship?
Couples therapy exists to offer guidance, perspective, and skill building for people in a relationship. For some, therapy may offer the tools to improve communication, and help them rebuild intimacy in a way that brings new life into their relationship. For others, therapy may help them to decide that they are better off apart.
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