Couples Counseling
Our couples counseling helps partners strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and navigate relationship challenges together. Guided by trained therapists, couples learn practical tools to manage conflict, improve connection, and foster a deeper understanding of one another. Services are inclusive and affirming of all relationship types.
This form of therapy supports couples facing issues such as communication breakdowns, infidelity, parenting disagreements, or emotional disconnection. Using approaches like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) or Gottman Method principles, therapists help couples understand negative interaction cycles and replace them with healthier patterns. The goal is to create a stronger, more resilient partnership built on mutual respect and emotional safety.
Absolutely. Counseling provides people with a safe, affirming space where you can hit pause, get out of unhelpful cycles you may not even realize exist, and learn healthier ways to connect.
Couples counseling specifically works by helping you:
- Understand each other’s needs
- Learn to resolve conflict in a safe way
- Heal from hurtful moments
While our initial objective is to rebuild trust, improve communication, and foster healthy relationships for the well-being of all involved, some couples choose to part after counseling.
Regardless, COPE’s clients often say they leave with more clarity. That clarity is yours to keep. You can use it to build and maintain all kinds of relationships throughout your life.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But the best couples counseling methods are evidence-based. This means that they’ve been tested, analyzed, and proven to work when couples commit to the program.
Some of the most effective approaches include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on identifying and changing negative patterns in how you think and respond.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Helps you rebuild emotional bonds and trust.
- Gotta man Method: A mindset strategy that helps you stop overexplaining by imagining you’ve “gotta man” who handles things for you—so you don’t need to justify, defend, or elaborate.
- Narrative Therapy: Helps you reframe your life by viewing problems as separate from yourself and rewriting your story in a more empowering way.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Focuses on your strengths and what’s working, guiding you to build solutions rather than dwell on problems.
COPE uses approaches that are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive, making sure therapy fits each couple’s needs.
Don’t wait for a crisis. The earlier you go, the more likely you are to strengthen the relationship and restore trust. That said, it’s never too late when you and your partner are committed to improving how you relate to each other.
You might notice the following indicators that it’s time to get couples counseling.
- When small problems keep growing
- If you’ve stopped having fun together
- After a big life change, like a new baby or a loss
- When you’re thinking, “We keep having the same fight and nothing changes”
- When you recognize that your children are learning your patterns, and without intervention, they will carry them into their own adult relationships
COPE encourages couples to see counseling as preventive care—not a last resort.
- Frequent arguments about the same things
- Long silences or emotional distance
- A sense of walking on eggshells
- Jealousy, lack of trust, or betrayal
- A change in intimacy—physical or emotional
In couples counseling, you’re both in the room (or on the video call), working on your relationship together. The therapist helps you:
- Understand how you each communicate and why it matters
- Break cycles that keep you stuck
- Create space for empathy, not just problem-solving
In individual therapy, the focus is on you—your thoughts, past experiences, and goals. At COPE, therapists may recommend doing both types at different times, depending on what you need most.
Getting ready for couples counseling isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being open to a new experience that may include different ways of looking at the same old problems.
A little prep can make your first session way more productive if you and your partner feel you can have this discussion first. If not, that’s okay, too! Your family therapist will walk you through challenging conversations. That’s why we’re here.
As a couple:
- Talk about your goals. What do each of you hope to get out of counseling? More understanding? Less arguing? A stronger connection? Knowing your “why” helps your therapist guide the process. Avoid goals that involve changing the other person, such as “I want my partner to stop drinking so much” so we can focus on what we can change together first.
- Agree to be respectful. You don’t have to agree on everything, but you do need to stay calm, listen, and avoid blame during sessions.
On an individual level:
- Be honest with yourself. Think about your own role in the relationship challenges—not just your partner’s. Counseling works best when both people are willing to reflect and grow.
- Be ready to get uncomfortable. Some sessions might bring up tough feelings. That’s okay. Real change often comes from working through hard stuff together.
And remember—COPE Family Support Center offers a safe, affirming space where both of you can be heard, supported, and guided toward real solutions. You don’t have to figure it all out before you walk in the door. Just show up willing to try.
The term you choose simply depends on the status of your relationship. At COPE, we recognize that committed relationships can take different forms and all can benefit from the clarity that Couples Counseling can bring.
Whether you choose to complete Couples Therapy before tying the knot, have no plans of marrying, are co-parenting while separated, or are legally married, COPE provides a safe, affirming space for all to pause, listen, evaluate, and meet the objectives of your relationship.
Research shows that couples who receive couples therapy feel better about their relationships than 70-80% of couples who try to work it out without professional support. Studies also support notable reductions in infidelity, partner violence of all kinds, sexual relation difficulties, and couple-specific challenges.
Individuals within the couple also noted benefits in their own emotional, behavioral, and physical health after completing couples therapy—of vital importance to the success of the couple and an individual. As your well-being grows you become better able to navigate the relationships that matter most.
At COPE Family Support Center, many couples report real progress using trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and emotionally focused techniques. The key is entering this experience with a shared commitment to open communication channels and making changes so that we can grow as partners and individuals.