All relationships have their ups and downs. When the downs begin to outweigh the ups, it’s time to get help. Sometimes being deep inside a stalled relationship can feel overwhelming, like resolution might not be possible. Can an hour a week with a therapist really make much difference? It certainly can. Couples therapy offers neutral ground, focused support, and the observational skills of an expert who’s seen countless couples through similar issues.
Wherever you’re at right now, working with an expert couples therapist allows you and your partner to identify key issues and find real ways forward. Through deliberate incremental changes, you’ll strengthen communication and connection to create a healthier and more resilient relationship.
Union Square Practice marriage and relationship counselors meet with clients in person in our Midtown Manhattan offices and via telehealth across New York State. Learn more about how we approach couples therapy as a collaborative practice.
There’s no end to the specific situations that bring couples to therapy. Here are some of common themes we encounter when couples come to us for relationship counseling:
These are just a few of the issues we address in couples therapy. Whatever situation you’re facing, know that experienced couples therapists have seen it all. Marriage and relationship counseling is the place to bring your most difficult problems and receive compassionate and confidential help.
If you’re asking yourself this question, it’s probably time! Most couples don’t seek professional help until conflict or distance between the partners has become serious. The longer this goes on, the more work it can be to break these patterns and build healthier ones. Early intervention is a great option if you have it.
If things already feel really difficult, then it’s definitely time to get help.
The specific goals and objectives will depend on the specific problems. You can imagine how each of the scenarios above suggests a solution:
A good marriage counselor or couples therapist identifies the specifics, then helps the couple develop the skills to address these issues and build an all-around healthier relationship. The goal is a resilient intimate relationship with less and less need for a couples therapist.
Our couples counselors tailor their approach to your situation and needs, with the goal of helping you each learn how to relate to the other partner better. At the foundation of this improved relationship is improved communication: listening and understanding the other person’s needs and priorities, as well as communicating your own more effectively.
Your couples therapist at Union Square Practice takes a thorough and systematic approach to the process, including:
At USP, the goal of couples counseling and marriage therapy is to give couples the strategies they need to treat each other with more respect, empathy, and love. This path looks different for each couple, so we take a collaborative and holistic approach. Our therapists support each other and regularly exchange professional expertise to continue honing best practices and bringing shared wisdom to each set of clients. We are deeply invested in seeing our couples find their way to deeper fulfilment and intimacy.
Every relationship is unique, and every therapy plan at USP is tailored to our clients’ specific needs. Our therapists draw from a range of evidence-based practices to devise a plan that makes sense for your marriage or relationship. Types of therapy we find to be successful include the following:
Different therapies use overlapping but distinctive approaches to achieve the common goals of couples counseling. After spending time with you and your partner together and separately, your therapist will select strategies most likely to work for you.
Some couples attend therapy for a few months and find they’ve made the progress they need to make. Others may go to marriage counseling for a year or longer as they continue to address problematic aspects of the relationship. Sometimes couples stop therapy because they’re in a good place, then go back later when new challenges arise. In many cases, couples who have made substantial progress will opt to see their therapist less often. They might start going every other week, or cut back to once a month. This allows them to maintain an ongoing relationship with the therapist, with regular check-ins to catch any rising problems.
It’s common for one partner in a relationship to feel ready to go to therapy before the other one is. If your spouse or partner is skeptical or resists the idea, it might take time for them to come around. Keep in mind that therapy of any kind is only helpful if everyone involved is invested in the process. Pressuring a reluctant partner into counseling isn’t the best basis for a productive therapy experience.
If your partner isn’t ready for marriage or couples counseling, consider attending individual therapy in the meantime to work on the things you can work on by yourself. If your partner sees that therapy is helping you, they might warm up to the idea. In the meantime, you’ll receive weekly support as you cope with your relationship struggles.
If your partner is physically violent, couples therapy is not the answer, but individual therapy can be a crucial support as you figure out how to address the situation. Discussing the relationship dynamics with a qualified therapist without your partner in the room can help you figure out your next steps.
Your safety always comes first. If you are in physical danger or need confidential support to address an abusive relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Sometimes people who love working with their couples therapist want to know if they can see them for individual therapy as well. Couples therapists do meet with partners individually as part of couples counseling, especially in the beginning as they assess the situation. However, in most cases, couples therapists do not offer individual therapy to a client who is in couples therapy with them. Couples therapists need to maintain neutrality, and this includes an equal level of therapeutic relationship with each partner. This is decided on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with your Union Square Practice therapist.
Fortunately, Union Square Practice has many great therapists, so it’s easy to find a separate counselor to see on your own. Many couples have a couples counselor as well as each seeing a different individual therapist.
There are all sorts of partnerships and intimate relationships that could use a structured, mediated approach to better relational health. Can a parent and adult child go to therapy? Business partners, friends, or coparents? Yes, if two people are dedicated to building a healthier relationship, many principles of couples therapy will apply. If you have therapy needs that fall outside the traditional scenario of couples counseling, we’re happy to discuss your situation and figure out an appropriate approach for you.
Union Square Practice is a group of psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists who empower individuals to be the best versions of themselves using the latest science has to offer.
With marriage counseling and couples therapy, Union Square Practice helps you and your partner gain new perspectives and find better ways to engage. Whether you’re drifting apart, fighting more, or just facing a difficult stretch, there’s help, and your relationship is worth it. Attend therapy in person in our offices in Midtown Manhattan or use telehealth for couples counseling anywhere in New York State. Contact us today to get started on the road to a healthier and happier relationship.
Reach out to us using any of the contacts below or our general contact form.
