Couples or relationship therapy services involve treatment for current relationship issues and/or prevention of future relationship issues. This can be done at any stage in a relationship, including at the beginning of a relationship to foster positive communication skills, all the way to a 30+ year relationship in need of a complete restart!

All of these terms are used interchangeably in our industry! Some say that therapy is a way to fix current “issues” while counseling is for couples or relationships that don’t necessarily have “issues”, but I personally believe that anyone can come to therapy as an intervention or prevention. Marriage therapy vs couples counseling vs relationship therapy…they are all used interchangeably and there isn’t much of a difference either way. Relationship therapy or relationship counseling is also inclusive to non-married and/or non coupled clients.

There are several types of professionals that can legally conduct therapy or counseling for relationships. In the state of Illinois this includes a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Licensed Psychologist (LP), or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). The licensure looks slightly different depending on state requirements, but these are the main clinicians ready to serve relationships without working under the supervision of another professional. Some clinicians choose to get additional elective certifications in various types of therapy, including Gottman Method Couples Therapy.

Using evidenced-based practices, couples therapy or couples counseling success rate is approximately 70-75%. There are many factors that can support or inhibit the success of therapy that are out of the hands of the therapist. One of these limiting factors can include motivation level of the clients, and client involvement. When one or more partners does not want to be there, it shows in their level of participation and efforts in session. The success of the relationship is dependent upon full participation from all parties.

Couples or relationship therapy has the potential to help with almost anything that the partners would like to work on to improve their relationship functioning or prevent future relationship issues. This can include working through infidelity, bettering communication, defining roles and responsibilities, opening up the relationship, managing parenting differences, building trust, planning for the future, navigating the in-laws, adjusting to new life circumstances, managing conflict, improving intimacy, empty-nesting, and more!

Sara is an eclectic therapist, which means she utilizes treatment approaches from several theoretical modalities. Which type(s) of therapy being used for your relationship and to what degree they are used will be determined at your intake assessment based on several factors. These factors can include what the presenting concerns are, the goals for therapy, individual learning styles, and client personalities. There often isn’t only one approach per presenting topic in therapy and can differ for each couple.

Nope! Relationship and couples therapy is for all relationship statuses. This includes those that are not married, married, casually dating, enm or cnm, open, and more!
Whether you have a significant other, domestic partner, fiancé or fiancée, spouse, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, mate, life partner, soul mate, or however you define your person, you are all welcome at Confluent Relationship Therapy! You can even do couples therapy while dating, and couples therapy for friends with benefits!

Nope! As long as you are an adult over the age of 18, couples therapy can be beneficial for young adult relationships all the way to senior relationships. Couples therapy for young couples and couples therapy for new couples can be just as helpful as those that have been together throughout the years.

Yes and no! My license allows me to work with clients all over the state of Illinois. If your relationship is long-distance but you both reside somewhere in Illinois, then we can do virtual therapy from separate locations. If one of you is currently living out of state, then I unfortunately cannot.

Not at this time. Online services allow you to access the sessions from anywhere, even during a lunch hour or in-between running errands. The video platform we use also allows you and your partner to log in from separate locations!

There is never a bad time to see a relationship therapist, or a therapist in general! Preventative skills can be learned in therapy to make sure you and your partner are on the right path to a successful union. You don’t have to wait until your relationship is on the brink of a separation before reaching out for help. Reach out today!

First, you and your partner(s) will fill out intake paperwork online using my HIPAA-compliant electronic health record (EHR) before our first session. This is standard practice for therapy, as a part of the informed consent process and signing necessary paperwork. We will all meet for our intake session on my HIPAA-compliant video chat platform where I gather information about your relationship. Then, I will meet with each of you for a single one-on-one session to get to know your individual backgrounds. From there, we will meet all together for the rest of our sessions.

This is one of the most common questions I receive when clients are starting out! There is no one-size-fits-all timeline for starting therapy. The duration depends on a multitude of factors including what your presenting concerns are, your goals for your relationship, and how often we are meeting. Most clients see me once a week for sessions until they are ready to start gradually tapering off our visits.

Currently we are using a HIPAA-compliant video chat platform provided by Psychology Today for therapists in their directory. This is a secure online platform that many mental health professionals use instead of couples counseling via zoom.

I heavily encourage all parties to participate in individual services outside of CRT while simultaneously seeing me for relationship therapy. At any time, I can provide you with referrals for individual therapists that I have consulted and networked with for years. However, this is not a requirement to starting relationship services with me.

Reach out today to schedule your first appointment or a free 15-minute consultation to answer any questions you may have!