What you can expect?

Marriage counseling is superior to other forms of therapy for relationship issues because the therapist is trained in how to moderate a constructive dialogue between you and your partner.  In your sessions you will have the opportunity to talk openly about your most personal problems and receive specific suggestions about how to solve them. 

What will happen in your sessions?

The first session  is spent getting to know you, your partner, and understanding your problems.  The second and third sessions, are designed to give each of you the opportunity to explore how your family background shapes your current perspective. Special emphasis will be placed on how each of your upbringings have influenced your values, expectations and communication styles. By the fourth session, the marriage counselor, with your input, will share with you, his or her assessment, and develop a treatment plan. 

Typically, treatment begins using a behavioral model (with special exercises given at the end of each session to be practiced at home by yourself and/or with your partner). Typically, the treatment phase is somewhere between eight to twelve sessions. However, where necessary, treatment can take longer.  Treatment length varies based not only on the issues that couples present with, but with their willingness to take the time to do the work at home by themselves.