Marriage & Couples Therapy
Wynns Family Psychology has a long history of offering couples - whether dating, engaged, married, or separated - therapy services geared towards improving the health of the relationship. We recognize relationships are tough! Thus, our providers utilize a variety of research-based treatments, interventions, and solution focused approaches to arm couples with tools to improve their relationship.
What Can You Expect from Couples Counseling?
Couples counseling is an intimate process between two people who desire to improve their relationship. Regardless of whether you are healing from infidelity, reestablishing trust after a betrayal, or learning how to reconnect in a different season of life, we will walk with you as you learn new communication styles, manage your conflict effectively, and create the relationship you (and your partner!) desire.
While every therapy session and plan are catered to the unique goals of every couple, our practice often follows the Gottman Model for initiating couples counseling. You will attend a joint intake session, individual interview, and complete an assessment. Your provider will review this process with you at your initial appointment. Couples counseling sessions are typically 60 minutes in length and often meet weekly or biweekly.
Couples counseling can be difficult work, especially if you are working through relationship trauma, betrayal, or feeling disconnected. Many couples experience intense emotions during a therapy session and need time to decompress before jumping right back into their day. We recommend creating a habit of self-care before and after your therapy sessions. This will work in collaboration with your couples-focused session to achieve your relationship goals.
What Kinds of Couples Counseling Does WFP offer?
Couples counseling can look different at varying stages of life. We are committed to specialized therapy, catered towards your specific therapy needs. Each of these services can be combined and tailored to meet your specific relationship needs.
- Marriage Counseling & Couples Counseling:
These titles are often used interchangeably. Whether you are married, cohabitating, in a serious relationship, or dating, therapy is targeted towards improving relationship satisfaction. Goals can include improved communication skills, conflict management, finding the “spark”, recovery from infidelity, substance abuse, or betrayal, the effects of parenting on the relationship, blended family concerns, developing healthy relationship habits, and more.
- Premarital Therapy
Premarital therapy applies to couples who are seriously dating or engaged. Therapy is a preparation for your upcoming marriage. Often, a therapist will walk you through important topics to process and identify relationship values.
- Co-parenting Therapy
If you are divorced or separated, therapy provides a platform to implement appropriate communication strategies, parenting approaches, and conflict management as you navigate a two-home family. Therapy is typically solution-focused.
- Parent Coaching
Have you ever said to yourself, “We would have a great marriage if not for our parenting concerns?” Parent coaching is solution-focused, skills-oriented therapy with an overall goal of increasing parenting confidence. The relationship between parents is a part of therapy, however the focus primarily rests on parenting concerns and challenges.
How Long Does Marriage Therapy Take?
We understand the urgency that a relationship in crisis brings. Many of our clients experience relief, even when scheduling the initial intake appointment. Therapy does take time to bring about long-term, sustainable progress. However, with each appointment you will be closer to the connected, stable, loving relationship you have always wanted. Research shows couples experience an increase in relationship satisfaction between 4 and 12 sessions.
It is very common to experience continued conflict, increased tension, or even feelings of hopelessness when you begin couples counseling. The process of therapy unearths feelings that, perhaps, have been buried for weeks, months, or years. But take heart! This is how you get to the other side of having an emotionally attuned relationship filled with empathy, understanding, and love. Many studies find 70 - 75% of couples engaging in marital therapy experience positive results. Having a qualified, trained provider will give you the tools to create the marriage you desire..
We Can Help Your Marriage and Relationship
We understand contacting a therapist can be an intimidating but important step. It takes insight and courage to admit your relationship needs outside help. We hope this information will answer some of your initial questions and provide the reassurance that you’re in expert hands and on the right path to a positive and fresh start.