Answering Common Questions about Couples Counseling

June 10, 2019

At Laurie Grengs Counseling, we receive calls every day from people asking about our services. Many of the calls concern marriage or couples therapy. We welcome those inquiries and are grateful for the opportunity to provide guidance. Below we have answered a few common questions about couples counseling to open the lines of communication and help you feel more empowered and comfortable about the process.

How do I know if my partner and I should seek therapy?

If you and your partner are experiencing a sense of uncertainty or confusion about your relationship, we suggest you reach out to explore if couples counseling may be a fit for you. We invite you to utilize our free 15-minute phone consultation to discover how we may assist. We welcome hearing from you, married or not married.

What can we expect in the first session?

We have taken great care to provide a welcoming and comforting setting. Depending on the situation, one partner or both partners may attend the first session. During that time, we will discuss what you need and want from the relationship, as well as your history and struggles, to determine an approach that will be most beneficial for you. Through exploring the many aspects of your relationship, we will provide recommendations and steps to achieve your goals and dreams. At the conclusion of the first session, you and your partner will be encouraged to think through whether you want to take the next step to receive guidance and help create the relationship you both desire.

Do we need to come together?

In the many years of providing couples counseling, our clinical experience has shown that when couples attend sessions together, it increases the opportunity for desirable results. If one partner cannot or is unwilling to come in, seeing the other partner for an initial session is a valuable start. With the increased knowledge and awareness of your situation, we can offer suggestions on how to approach your partner about enlisting their commitment to shifting in a direction that is desirable to you both.

How long are the sessions, and how often will we need them?

Initial sessions can vary in length from one to two hours depending on the needs of the couple, as determined in the phone consultation. When participating in an initial session, we will further explore your thoughts, feelings, and areas of your relationship in need of change. What is explored in subsequent sessions will be determined by the couples counselor and you, the client. The time frame for follow-up sessions may proceed to one hour, depending on what is beneficial for your individual situation.

Couples may stay in counseling for varying lengths of time, depending on their desire to create change and the complexity of their relationship dynamics. We suggest that you think of your journey as unique because timelines for healing vary by situation.

What will people think?

Couples counseling often has a stigma that “something may be wrong with us if we want help with our relationship.” The feeling of shame or embarrassment often comes up for couples or individuals seeking counseling. Yet pursuing help with healing your relationship indicates qualities of strength, bravery, and love for each other.

People who come to Laurie Grengs Counseling often seek help for difficulties with communication, parenting, making decisions about money, emotional connection, and interacting with the extended family.

Seeking couples counseling means you want for yourself and your partner more positive and cooperative behaviors that are in alignment with the values of love. Some couples are looking for support. Others are looking for ways to change the underlying reasons that bring about the issues with their relationship. With expert guidance from our couples therapist, there is hope that relationships can be healed and transformed.

Laurie Grengs has worked as a licensed psychologist and licensed independent clinical social worker for 40 years, and she loves what she does. If you think you and your partner might benefit from marriage or couples therapy, we encourage you to reach out. Contact us today.