Are you and your spouse at a point in your marriage where you’re considering going into counseling?
With the health emergency situation that the whole world is currently experiencing, couples are facing new challenges as they shelter in place or deal with family life amidst uncertainties.
Relationships, no matter how strong, can see conflict and tensions arise during times of stress that push people to the breaking point
But don’t throw in the towel just yet.
All married couples experience challenging periods in their relationships. However, seeking professional help through marriage counseling makes all the difference in keeping relationships intact.
Often, a lack of time prevents couples from seeking therapy when they have problems in their marriages. This is where online marriage counseling (also called online couple’s therapy) can be of great help.
The Benefits of Online Counseling
These days, you can find a wide array of couple’s therapy programs online. A feature article written by Amy Novotney for the journal Monitor on Psychology revealed that online counseling can be as effective as conventional, in-person therapy programs.
Here are some of the benefits of attending couple’s therapy online:
Best Online Marriage Counseling Programs and Websites
1. Talkspace
Over a million people have benefited from Talkspace’s counseling services, which are HIPAA compliant. Furthermore, the company offers online therapies for a variety of issues, including mental health, career guidance, and couple’s therapy.
Once you and your spouse decide to sign up for counseling, you can go to their website or download the app on your smartphones. Initially, you will need to set up an account. This will require you to fill in a form, supplying your personal details.
A qualified therapist is matched to you after you sign up, depending on the issues you and your partner want addressed in the therapy sessions. There are therapists who can help you deal with issues related to sexual health, communication, infidelity, etc.
One important factor to consider when entering therapy is that both you and your spouse should be comfortable with your therapist.
If you feel that the therapist assigned to you isn’t a perfect fit, Talkspace allows clients to switch therapists without extra charge.
Budget-wise, this is one of the more affordable online counseling programs available today. One thing that clients appreciate about this service is how easy it is to reach out to their therapists through instant messaging.
Furthermore, you have the option to keep a record of your chats for future reference. They also offer options for unlimited texts, phone, or video counseling sessions.
Weekly plan rates with Talkspace can range from $50 to $100.
2. Growing Self
When you use Growing Self’s marriage counseling services, not only will you be working to fix your marriage, but you will also learn to grow as a person.
The team is made up of expert, licensed therapists who offer a vast array of counseling programs geared towards couples’ empowerment and self-growth.
Can’t decide if their program is right for you and your partner? They offer a free consultation so you can see for yourself if what they offer is a good fit for your needs.
In addition to the usual online therapy sessions, they also offer a Solutions Session. This is a coaching program that lets you delve into the heart of an issue in your relationship and come up with a healthy solution.
After the session, you’ll have a written action plan that propels you to the next step.
Their counseling service rates start at less than $100 for a 45-minute session
3. E-Therapy Café
Relationship issues have a lot of root causes. Sometimes these include ineffective patterns of communication.
At other times, they are caused by partners’ destructive behaviors. At E-Therapy Café, these causes are explored in order to arrive at positive solutions to the issues.
Each certified therapist can help couples:
The services they offer are ideal for couples who are looking for short-term therapy. Furthermore, their highly trained therapists specialize in helping couples in the military deal with issues that are unique to their situation.
Connecting with the therapists can happen through real-time e-videos, phone calls, chats, or an online journal.
They offer a 30-minute trial session for $30, so you and your spouse can see if their services are what you need.
4. Couples Learn
Another popular site where couples can seek counseling and therapy services is Couples Learn. You can choose from the three main relationship services they offer, which include:
The site provides a free 30-minute consultation so you can assess if their services are what you need.
Depending on your specific needs, you can expect to discuss your current situation, your personal history as a couple in relation to the issue at hand, and any progress you make (as the sessions progress).
The therapy can be short-term or long-term, depending on your goals.
They offer a sliding scale for their rates, which range from $175 to $375 per session, depending on the qualifications of the therapist assigned to you. Typically, master-level therapists have a lower price range compared to doctoral-level specialists.
5. Relationship Hero
If you feel that the tension or conflict in your relationship is not going to be resolved without the assistance of a neutral third party, you may want to make use of this site’s services.
Established in 2017, this site has helped tens of thousands clients overcome the challenges in their romantic relationships.
The advantage of using Relationship Hero’s services is the quick access you have to their coaches. Once you’ve signed up, you don’t need to set an appointment to keep in touch with your relationship coach, as they’re available 24/7.
Signing up is also a breeze. Once you sign up, you are prompted to provide the main reason you need counseling.
They offer a per-minute session rate of $1. There are also master classes touching on the topics of emotional healing, relationship skills, staying or leaving, etc. Master classes have a starting rate of $45.
6. ReGain
ReGain is one of the most popular apps among couples seeking therapy. Their qualified psychologists and therapists are ready to assist you in saving your marriage.
When you sign up, you’ll be prompted to identify the relationship issues you want to address in the sessions, such as communication issues, infidelity, how to prevent a formal separation or divorce, etc.
Once you’ve filled out the requisite questionnaire, you’ll be matched with a therapist that ReGain’s system identifies as the best fit to help you with your relationship concerns.
Should you feel the need to switch therapists, they allow you to do so. The process is quick and efficient.
Rigid appointments are a main cause of many couples’ inability to attend conventional therapy sessions, but couples who have used ReGain’s services appreciate how therapy sessions are adapted according to their available schedules.
This allows them to maintain a level of consistency working to save their relationships.
Counseling through ReGain is offered as a monthly subscription, with a price range between $40 and $70 per week.
7. Lasting
Lasting is a counseling app that’s designed to strengthen your relationship with your spouse. According to their website, the app “nurtures and repairs your emotional connection, based on your unique needs.”
The app emphasizes that it is not therapy, but rather a research-backed tool offering personalized counseling programs to build healthy relationships.
Lasting is based on three main relationship principles:
The app provides a free trial of the first series of marriage counseling programs: the foundation of a healthy marriage (five sessions). You can opt to subscribe to the Premium service for $12/month or $80/year in order to access the rest of the sessions.
Final Thoughts on Online Marriage Counseling
Getting help when you and your spouse are going through a rough patch is an admirable move. It shows that you are both willing to do what it takes to move the relationship forward in a healthy way.
If you feel that online marriage counseling is the way to go, sign up for the program that best suits your needs and lifestyle and make a commitment to work on the issues that plague your relationship.
Often, working together to overcome a challenging period in your relationship helps you grow closer as a couple.
Shared goals also make your relationship stronger.
If you need tips on goal-setting in your relationship, you might want to check out this post about goals that couples use to grow their love and our other post on SMART goals examples to strengthen your marriage.
Stay loving!
And if you're looking for more posts about marriage and relationships, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 2-2-2 Rule: A Simple Concept for a Happy Marriage
- 87 Affirmations for Marriage to Improve Your Loving Relationship
- 9 Warning Signs You Are Marrying the Wrong Person
