Services
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy is focused on helping couples better understand one another and communicate in a healthier manner.
Couples Therapy for Tampa & St. Petersburg
Couples therapy and marriage counseling is focused on helping couples strengthen their emotional connectively, work through challenges, and develop healthier ways of communicating with one another. Couples therapy can help break negative patterns in a relationship and get to the core issues that are causing the challenge.
Trauma-based Therapy for Couples
In our practice, we have a niche of trauma work within partnerships.
Common partnership traumas include:
One member of the partnership having a traumatic past that currently influences the relationship.
Something traumatic happening in the partnership such as infidelity.
A partner becoming ill.
What to Expect During Couples Therapy
A typical couple's therapy session involves the two people in the couple talking through the challenges in their relationship with a neutral third party (the therapist) who is trained in getting to the heart of the issue. The role of the therapist is to guide the conversation, asking specific questions that encourage each person to understand the other's perspective.
As couple's counselors we do not take sides or tell couples what they should do. We work more as mediators, guiding couples in conversation and assisting in clarification of intentions and behaviors.
Couples learn new ways of communicating honestly with each other that do not cause defensiveness. They learn how to resolve conflicts and understand each other on a deeper level.
What is Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy, also known as couples counseling, marriage counseling, and relationship counseling, is a form of therapy that aims to help couples address and resolve issues within their relationship. It involves talk therapy sessions with a trained therapist who works with the couple to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and enhance the overall quality of their relationship. The goal of couples therapy is to help partners gain a deeper understanding of each other, improve relationship skills, and find constructive ways to manage and overcome challenges.
When You Should Consider Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling
Deciding whether you need couples counseling is a personal choice, but some certain signs and circumstances may indicate it could be beneficial. Whether you are taking a proactive approach, or are in crisis, our therapists in Tampa and St. Petersburg are here to help you achieve the goals you have for yourself and your relationship.
Some scenarios that may be beneficial as a proactive step in seeking couples therapy may be:
Premarital counseling to assure you and your partner are on the same page leading into a lifelong commitment.
Upcoming life-changing events such as the arrival of a new baby, becoming empty nesters, etc., or upcoming stressful events such as a big move, starting a new job, taking care of elderly parents, etc.
Some scenarios that may be a crisis and reactive couples therapy may be:
Infidelity
Being and the brink of divorce or separation
One partner moves out of the home or shared living space
Some scenarios that may benefit from couples therapy may be ongoing issues within the relationship such as:
Disagreements in parenting
Intimacy issues
Resentments from the past
At It Begins Within, we have counselors who are trained in both proactive and reactive couples therapy to ensure that you are in the best hands with whatever life situation you and your partner are facing. We provide a supportive environment to discuss relationship issues and ultimately achieve better relationship satisfaction.
9 Challenges That Bring Couples in for Therapy
1. Communication Issues
If you and your partner struggle to communicate effectively, experience frequent misunderstandings, or have difficulty expressing your needs and feelings, couples counseling can provide guidance on improving communication.
2. Recurring Conflicts causing relationship issues
If you find yourselves stuck in repetitive patterns of conflict or if certain issues keep resurfacing without resolution, a therapist can help you explore the underlying issues and work toward solutions. Recurring conflicts lead to resentment which can be a cancer to the relationship and keep the conflict ongoing. Being in a relationship for an extended amount of time can result in resentments from the past; therefore, resolving these resentments can open possibilities for a more fulfilling relationship.
3. Trust Issues
If trust has been compromised due to infidelity, deception, jealousy, or other breaches, couples counseling can provide a safe space to address trust issues and rebuild a sense of security in the relationship. We have therapists trained in Systematic Affairs Recovery and can help you navigate this traumatic experience in the relationship.
4. Intimacy Problems
If there are challenges in the physical or emotional intimacy within your relationship, a specialized sex therapist can assist you in understanding and addressing these issues through encouraging communication, and practicing skills outside of therapy to increase intimacy and trust.
5. Life Transitions
Major life changes, such as the birth of a child, job loss, relocation, or other significant transitions, can strain a relationship. Couples therapy can help you navigate these changes and adapt as a couple in a proactive way to handle transitions so that it does not affect the relationship negatively and instead, serves as a way to handle these situations as a team.
6. Pre-marital Counseling
If you are engaged or planning to get married, pre-marital counseling can be a proactive way to explore expectations, enhance communication skills, discuss values openly, and lay a strong foundation for a healthy marriage.
7. Lack of Connection
If you feel emotionally disconnected from your partner, couples counseling can help you rediscover and strengthen the emotional bond.
8. Individual Issues Impacting the Relationship
If personal issues, such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger management or unresolved trauma, are affecting your relationship, couples counseling can address the impact of these issues on the partnership.
9. Considering Separation or Divorce
If you and your partner are contemplating separation or divorce, couples counseling can be a valuable resource to explore options, improve communication, and make informed decisions about the future of your relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions about Couples and Marriage Counseling
Is Marriage Counseling Effective?
According to the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the success rate of marriage counseling is around 70%. These figures are even further improved when working with highly experienced and skilled couples counselors like the therapists we have here at It Begins Within.
If your goal is to make your marriage work, our goal is to help you get there. Our therapists are trained in highly effective couples counseling models such as the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Systematic Affairs Recovery. Our therapists use these highly beneficial frameworks and tailor them to meet your unique couples needs.
What should I expect from Couples Therapy?
A typical couple’s therapy session involves the two people in the couple talking through the challenges in their relationship with a neutral third party (the therapist and licensed mental health counselor) who is trained in getting to the heart of the issue. The role of the therapist is to serve as a neutral third party and will help guide the conversation, asking specific questions that encourage each person to understand the other’s perspective. The therapy office is beneficial to couples, because unhealthy communication and conflict patterns (e.g., yelling, getting up and walking out of the room, interrupting, etc.) will be redirected.
As couple’s therapists we do not take sides or tell couples what they should do. We work more as mediators, guiding couples in conversation and assisting in clarification of intentions and behaviors to help the couple reach their goals. At It Begins Within, our goal is to help couples learn new ways of communicating honestly with each other that do not cause defensiveness. Therapists teach couples how to resolve conflicts and understand each other on a deeper level.
What are the keys to success in couples or marriage counseling?
There are several key factors that determine the success of counseling. Each couple, relationship or partnership will have different goals and objectives, which may even vary greatly between the couple. For instance one partner may want to save the relationship, while the other primarily wants to feel appreciated and important. Our goal is to help find alignment between these goals, and help each couple find their path to achievement.
How long will couples counseling take?
Counseling may vary depending on the needs of the couple, the unique challenges they are facing, and the pace of their progress. Therapy for couples takes an average of 10-12 weeks; however, we encourage a couple to commit to one month of therapy weekly then reassess. A commitment to four sessions does not seem daunting and will show commitment in improving the relationship with attending therapy weekly.
How much does couples counseling cost?
Couples counseling at It Begins Within is $200 for a full 60-minute session. We do not take insurance so sessions are out of pocket. However we can provide a superbill to help with insurance reimbursement. Since we do not take insurance, the couple can really have a say in their treatment. If they want to come in multiple times a week due to crisis, or have a 90-minute or two hour session every other week based on their schedules, our therapists can meet their specific needs.
What type of therapy is used in couples counseling?
Our marriage and family therapists use multiple effective methods, models and approaches to therapy for couples. Here at It Begins Within, we have a strong belief in the value of in-person therapy in our Tampa and St Pete locations. While we utilize three primary models, our therapists are client-focused and may utilize a combination of leading approaches to arrive at the best outcome for our clients. These include:
Gottman Method
Emotional Focused Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
What is the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy?
The Gottman Method of couples therapy is a researched based approach designed to improve relationships by teaching conflict resolution, focusing on strengths in the relationship, and amplifying shared values. The Gottman Method encourages couples to engage in various activities to improve communication, improve intimacy and trust and provides tools to use during conflict for healthy outcomes. Our therapists serve as nonbiased mediators and can teach specific skills that couples can use outside of therapy to improve the relationship.
Schedule Free Consultation
We offer comprehensive mental health services for individuals, couples and families, and are dedicated to the best outcome for our clients. Please reach out to us today to book a session with one of our skilled therapists.