Couples therapy

What is couples therapy?

Couples therapy is a type of psychotherapy in which a psychotherapist, with specific expertise in working with couples, helps two partners in a romantic relationship gain insight into underlying tensions, conflicts, or frustrations in order to resolve problems and improve overall relationship satisfaction.

You and your partner should consider working with a relationship therapist in Chicago if you are experiencing:

• Repetitive arguments
• Feelings of distance
• A drop in warmth or affection
• Difficulty having fun or being playful with each other
• Trust issues
• Infidelity/Emotional affairs
• Persistent feelings of anger, resentment or dissatisfaction
• Decreased interest in sexual intimacy

How can Depth Counseling help?

If you are experiencing one or more of these difficulties then we would strongly recommend you reach out for an initial consultation for couples therapy in Chicago. Our therapists can help you to uncover and explore the real issues at play beneath your discontent. Instead of arguing, talking around the issues, or simply avoiding each other, you can gain real traction with an expert who will guide you through to a deeper resolution. 

Many new couples clients fear that if they uncover the real issues, then they will discover a basic incompatibility in their relationship and will need to break up. For this reason, they avoid taking the first step of reaching out for help. In truth couples counseling only leads to break up if one or both of the partners wishes to end the relationship. In most cases, however, both partners are surprised by how good it feels to address the real issues and find solid solutions. 

In couples therapy or marriage counseling, you can express yourself, feel heard, and learn to listen more effectively. Once you understand the real problems, you and your partner can work with empathy to find mutual solutions. Typically this work increases feelings of love, support, and trustworthiness. 

As you work through your relational conflict in psychodynamic couples therapy, you will notice:

• Greater insight into the real problems beneath repetitive arguments or tensions.
• Deeper understanding and empathy for your partner’s needs and feelings
• Trust in your partner to listen and hear your message (even when it is difficult)
• Trust in yourself to express your needs and feelings in a way that gets heard.
• An increased sense of physical and emotional safety
• A renewed wish for physical and emotional intimacy
• The knowledge that you can work through conflict to strengthen the bond
• A feeling of durability (“If we made it through this, we can make it through future challenges.”)