People often assume that couples therapy and marriage counseling are the same, but the terms refer to different treatments.Couples therapyis for people who are having problems in their relationship, whereas all kinds of people go tomarriage counselingto strengthen a relationship and get coping tools to deal with future challenges in a healthy way.Read on to learn more about marriage counseling vs couples therapy and learn how to find the right type of help for your relationship.

People often assume that couples therapy and marriage counseling are the same, but the terms refer to different treatments.Couples therapyis for people who are having problems in their relationship, whereas all kinds of people go tomarriage counselingto strengthen a relationship and get coping tools to deal with future challenges in a healthy way.

Read on to learn more about marriage counseling vs couples therapy and learn how to find the right type of help for your relationship.

What is the Difference Between Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling?

Couples therapyis for couples who have unhealthy patterns of behavior. With treatment, both parties work with a therapist to identify factors contributing to conflict.Researchshows that couples therapy can help rebuild trust and offer healthier ways for couples to relate to each other.

Couples therapy can:

Marriage Counseling OnlineStrengthen your marriage with the help of an experienced, licensed marriage counselor, from home and at your convenience.Start here

Marriage Counseling OnlineStrengthen your marriage with the help of an experienced, licensed marriage counselor, from home and at your convenience.

Marriage Counseling Online

Strengthen your marriage with the help of an experienced, licensed marriage counselor, from home and at your convenience.

Start here

Marriage counselingmight be a bit less formal and more short-term than couples therapy, and it isn’t just for couples with problems — think: premarital counseling.

While it can help couples work through issues, marriage counseling can also help prepare a relationship for future challenges. Again, it’s about education and support and can help with communication and conflict-resolution skills.

Marriage counseling can:

Basis for seeking help

When you compare couples therapy vs marriage counseling, one of the most significant differences stems from the reasons a couple is seeking help in the first place. Marriage counseling can benefit a wide range of couples. That said, it may not help if you’re looking for a solution to a very specific problem. For example, some couples might choose to go through counseling before getting married to build a strong foundation as they start their united life together.

In contrast, couples therapy can treat specific problems in a marriage. For example, one of the manycouples therapy techniques, behavioral couples therapy, can help couplesstruggling with substance abusein the relationship. Couples may also seek help after a breach of trust, such as infidelity.

“Couples therapy is the blanket statement approach where partners are seeking help for problems whereas marriage counseling is reserved for either the premarital or early post-marital phase of the relationship.”

Style

Couples therapytends to be more intense and might require a more significant commitment from both parties. During therapy, couples will look closely at the issues they’ve had over their relationship. While both parties are usually present during sessions, a therapist may ask to meet with each person for individual counseling.

Marriage counselingis usually a short-term treatment program with a specific end date. The average couple engages in 12 therapy sessions. Sessions typically focus on finding solutions tomarriage problemsand helping couples build the skills they need for a healthy relationship.

“Early on in couples therapy, it is to be expected that the routine and structure of the relationship is the main focus — figuring out the why behind the issues. Later, there’s a focus on the how. For example, how information is communicated, what kind of tone, emotional expression, and receptivity become the focus.”

Licensed professional

Professional qualifications can be another major difference between a marriage counselor vs a therapist. Some marriage counselors aren’t fully licensed to diagnose mental health conditions. A church leader who offers premarital counseling is an example of a counselor who’s not a trained mental health professional. You should always check a professional’s qualifications before starting treatment.

Costs

Costs can vary for both marriage counseling and couples therapy. On average,marriage counseling costsbetween $75 and $150 an hour. However, depending on a professional’s experience, training, and location, the full range can be much broader — from $50 per hour to $200 or more. Couples therapy has similar rates, but because it usually requires more sessions, it can be more expensive in the long run.

Knowing What Type of Help Your Relationship Needs

Should you seek marriage counseling, or is couples therapy a better fit for your needs? If you’re struggling to decide between marriage counseling vs couples therapy, thinking about the types of services each technique offers can usually help.

Regardless of the route you decide on, you want to be confident that the treatment you seek is the right choice for you and your partner.

When to seek marriage counseling

Marriage counseling is an excellent option for couples wanting to discover tools they can use to build a healthy marriage or relationship. It can be a great way to bring the spark back to a relationship, but it can also help newlyweds and couples who haven’t gotten married yet.

When you learnhow to find a good marriage counselorand start counseling, you can learn how to deal with problems before they cause severe damage to the relationship. You can find more effective ways to communicate and better understand what your partner needs. In marriage counseling, both people can learn how to be better partners for one another.

When to seek couples therapy

If you have serious relationship problems, couples therapy can help you tackle your issues. With the help of a therapist, couples can get to the root causes of problems that have caused strife in their relationship. Therapy can help people deal with specific issues, like learninghow to get over infidelityor substance abuse. In short, couples therapy can aim to identify and break unhealthy patterns in a relationship.

Any couple can benefit from marriage counseling, while couples therapy is more for relationships needing more intensive help. A lot of couples try therapy as a last resort before separating. Maintaining a relationship isn’t easy — it takes constant dedication and work. A couples therapist can help people work through deep-seated problems and build healthy, strong, mutually beneficial, supportive partnerships.

Professional Help for Couples with TalkspaceMarriages can be incredibly rewarding, but poor communication and unresolved problems can interfere with the ability to have a healthy relationship. If you’re comparing couples therapy vs marriage counseling to find your best option, Talkspace offersonline marriage counselingand couples therapy.With Talkspace, you and your partner can identify issues you want to work on and move through conflicts with the guidance of an experienced professional.Relationship problemsaren’t easy to overcome, but Talkspace offers the support you need to forge a new path in your connection with your partner.

Professional Help for Couples with Talkspace

Marriages can be incredibly rewarding, but poor communication and unresolved problems can interfere with the ability to have a healthy relationship. If you’re comparing couples therapy vs marriage counseling to find your best option, Talkspace offersonline marriage counselingand couples therapy.

With Talkspace, you and your partner can identify issues you want to work on and move through conflicts with the guidance of an experienced professional.Relationship problemsaren’t easy to overcome, but Talkspace offers the support you need to forge a new path in your connection with your partner.

Sources:

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