Columbus Couples Counseling in Columbus

What is Couples Counseling?

Looking for couples counseling in Columbus? Couple therapy is meant to help you improve your relationship with your partner. This is done with the help of a therapist who acts as an expert coach. At other times, the therapist helps with mental health and other issues that affect the partnership.

There are many different types and styles of couple therapy. And people go to couple therapy for many different reasons.

Premarital couples counseling

One type of couple therapy is premarital therapy. This therapy is intended for people who want to marry. Premarital therapy is also called premarital counseling.

During premarital counseling, the therapist first assesses the couple’s strengths and weaknesses. This is often done with the help of a standardized test. The therapist will also interview the couple to understand their situation and their relationship.

Once the therapist understands the couple’s relationship, he or she will help the couple to understand their strengths and weaknesses. The therapist should help the couple build on their strengths, and minimize their weaknesses.

Often times couples get married without having talked about several important topics. These topics can include finances, religion and values, among others. The therapist will also help the couple talk about these important topics so each person knows what marriage will be like.

Marital Therapy

What is generally referred to as marriage counseling is often attended by couples in crisis. However, it is also useful for couples to have a routine relationship checkup with a therapist to avoid issues that might come up.

Marriage therapy can help couples in crisis to work through issues in the relationship such as infidelity, parenting styles, finances and addictions.

Many issues were part of the relationship from the start, and could have been avoided had the couple used premarital counseling. Other issues are introduced after the marriage, and can bring even the strongest marriages to it’s knees.

Having a therapist help you through times of trouble in your relationship can get the relationship back on track much quicker. This is especially the case with tough issues like addiction, abuse and infidelity.

However, do not think marriage counseling is just for the tough cases. Therapists also teach communication skills that can help your marriage grow, and show you techniques that can help you have a deeper, richer relationship with your spouse.

The Type of Couples Counseling We Offer

We offer many types of couple therapy. This is because each couple is different. Instead of trying to use the method we prefer and fitting your particular scenario into our method. We fit the method to your particular circumstances.

This means that you will get customized care, dependent entirely on your needs.

Assessment

Before we start with any type of therapy, we do an assessment of the couple and it’s particular needs. You wouldn’t go to a doctor and expect a prescription without getting a thorough examination. If you did, you would likely not take the medication you were prescribed.

In the same vein, you should not expect to go to a therapist and be suggested a treatment without a thorough assessment of any issues and interaction in the partnership.

This will allow the therapist to understand what you need as a couple based on your personal, and interpersonal strengths and weaknesses. This allows us to spend time working on only the things you need to work on. It saves time and money, and it much more effective.

And finally, offering an assessment helps us to build trust with our clients. You know that if we’ve taken the time to understand your personal situation, we see you for who you are. You are not “just another couple” to us!

Marriage and Family Therapy

Marriage and Family Therapy is a specific type of therapy. A Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) is also a specific type of therapist license. MFTs are licensed by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Marriage and family therapy views you and your situation in a holistic way. An MFT sees the family or couple as a unique and living relationship, that is greater than the sum of individuals. An MFT will also look at your situation in context. Issues are not considered issues with one person, but can stem from outside forces such as work, culture and other forces that act on the relationship.

Because we use marriage and family therapy, we do not assume that any one person is the “problem” in a couple. We also do not assume that the couple is the issue. Often, many things play into martial problems such as culture, expectations, families and work-life-balance. All of these need to be considered in context.

Gottman Method Couples Therapy

One method of couple therapy that we use is Gottman Method Couple Therapy. This type of therapy is backed by over 40 years of research with couples. The method provides concrete guidelines for determining what issues a couple is facing, and how to help fix them.

In order to practice this method, a therapist must receive specific training. we have received training in the Gottman Method and enjoy practicing it with clients.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

I have received training in Emotionally Focused Therapy. This evidence-based therapy is also backed by over 40 years of research. Instead of focusing on the content of a couple’s arguments, it helps them to look at the overall pattern that they are stuck in that causes the fights. Once this pattern is identified, it can be changed.

Prepare/Enrich Premarital Couples Counseling

As mentioned above, premarital counseling can be important to jump-start a lasting, loving marriage. One of the types of premarital counseling we use is Prepare/Enrich.

Preapre/Enrich is an evidence-based and widely researched tool. It helps couples to walk through a variety of topics that they need to discuss and understand about each other before making the commitment of a lifetime.

We are certified Prepare/Enrich facilitators and have received specific training in this method.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a method of therapy that we use to work with our couples. It works particularly well in teaching coping skills. Many couples come into conflict because they are unable to cope with their own emotions, stress from life and other issues outside the relationship. They may also have problems coping with stresses their partner can bring.

DBT is also helpful in working with issues such as addiction, anxiety, depression and personality disorders.

Who Needs Couple Counseling?

Many types of couples can benefit from couples counseling. No matter your stage in the relationship or your stage in life, you can benefit from couple counseling.

Unmarried Couples Need Couples Counseling

As mentioned above, the best time to begin counseling is before the couple has problems. This is a great time to learn how to communicate with your partner and to disagree without fighting.

Married Couples Who Want To Become Closer

Married couples do not need to be fighting constantly to seek marriage therapy. Your therapist can help you build on your relationship’s strengths. She can also help you to see potential problems before the arise and plan for them.

Married Couples Facing Challenges

The majority of couples who seek counseling are those who are facing challenges in their relationship. Often, there is a lack of communication. Sometimes one or both of the couple feel that they have fallen out of love. Your marriage therapist can help you bring your relationship back to life.

Couples Recovering From an Affair

Often, an affair can be the end of a relationship. It is one of the most difficult issues for a marriage or partnership to recover from. We are specialists in infidelity recovery. We can help both of you work through your emotions and decide if you want to remain in the relationship or move on.

Once that decision is made, we help separating couples end the relationship gracefully. Couples that choose to remain together will receive help processing the affair and recovering form the pain and mistrust that infidelity brings.

Married Couples With Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems can be difficult to manage. This is true for the person going through them, but also for the person’s partner and family. If you are in a partnership and one of you has a mental health issue, your therapist can help you understand how to support each other while still caring for your own needs.

Married Couples Facing Addiction

Addiction is one of the more difficult challenges that a marriage will face. Both the partner suffering from addiction and the partner who does not need extra support and resources during this difficult time. Your therapist can help you to help yourself and your partner while facing this issue.

Separating and Divorcing Couples

Couples who no longer wish to be in a marriage usually do not think of couple counseling. However, this is a great time to receive counseling to help you end the relationship amicably. This is especially important if there are children involved.

Co-Parents Can Benefit From Couples Counseling

Co-parenting is difficult enough when you are married or in a happy relationship. After the end of a relationship, it is easy to let the pain of the relationship ending get in the way of being a good co-parent with your former partner. Your therapist can help you work through these problems to be the best parents possible for your children.

If you have more questions about couple counseling, or would like to make an appointment you can contact us via our webform or call 614-245-5119.