MoodRx Clinical Staff - Sep 30, 2024
What does a typical virtual couples therapy session look like?
Being in a relationship means having someone there as a shoulder to cry on during hard times, support your endeavors and help you become the best version of yourself. But it’s not always easy. There’s no such thing as a perfect couple; there can be differences in beliefs and values, intimacy problems, and communication issues. And that’s OK. Even so, when a couple needs a bit of extra support to strengthen their relationship, couples therapy can be an effective option.
Couples therapy refers to a type of psychotherapy that can help partners solve conflict, recognize where there’s room for improvement and work toward a future with shared goals. However, this type of mental health care doesn't always need to take place in a therapist’s office.
It seems like there’s a virtual option for everything these days, and that includes couples therapy. Virtual couples therapy allows partners to gain the benefits of psychotherapy with the convenience and flexibility of virtual sessions. So what exactly does that look like?
We’ll talk about what you can expect from your first virtual couples therapy session as well as regular sessions that follow. We’ll also discuss how to know when it’s time to book a virtual couples therapy session with MoodRx.
What’s typically involved in the first virtual couples therapy session
Every couple is different, and so is the treatment they can receive during virtual couples therapy. Sessions can depend on the ongoing issues that are being addressed, the current concerns of each partner and the collective goal of the couple. However, learning about what you can expect from a typical virtual couples therapy session can help reduce uncertainty and help you stay focused and motivated to improve.
We’ll start off by discussing what you can expect from the first session before moving on to the expectations of recurring sessions.
Here’s what you can expect from your first virtual couples therapy session:
● History as a couple — It’s important for a therapist to gain an understanding of your dynamic as a couple. They’ll ask you questions about how you met. They may ask about what you like about each other or significant memories that you share. You’ll discuss the milestones or significant events of your relationship, such as moving in together or having kids. Then, you’ll be asked about the challenges you’ve faced and conflicts that have led you to virtual couples therapy.
● Getting to know you individually — A couple consists of two individual people who have their own strengths and struggles. While a relationship requires effort from both people, you and your partner bring different perspectives and personalities. Those play a role in how you collaborate on issues. By asking questions about your own dating history, challenges and priorities, a therapist can gain a better understanding of how you approach your relationship.
● Setting goals — When it comes to virtual couples therapy, the objective goes beyond staying together. A therapist can help you set realistic, meaningful and challenging goals. They are often set during your first session. These goals can help you understand the work that you’re going to have to put in to alleviate any consistent problems that have taken a toll on the relationship. Common examples of couples therapy goals include showing gratitude for each other, establishing boundaries and limiting defensiveness.
● Homework — A relationship can’t be fixed in a one-hour virtual couples therapy session. It’s a process that takes time and effort between appointments. A therapist will often provide some sort of “homework.” It's often a task that puts the lessons learned from a session into practice. For example, if one partner has a “love language” that they find is being ignored, such as acts of service, the therapist may recommend that their partner does a chore around the house or runs an errand that would make their partner’s life easier.
What to expect from a typical virtual couples therapy session
Your first virtual couples therapy session can give you an idea of what you can expect throughout treatment. And the more that a therapist learns about your partnership and how you interact during sessions, the more effective your treatment will be. Once you start regularly seeing a virtual couples therapist, here are a few things that you can expect:
● Discussing underlying issues — Talking about the conflicts that have occurred between sessions can help pinpoint the bigger problems. When it comes to disagreements in relationships, it’s often not about the surface issue. For example, if one partner is constantly forgetting to take out the trash, the other partner may be upset because they feel like they carry out most of the chores without recognition. If a partner is jealous, then it’s possible that they’ve had to deal with infidelity and lying in past relationships.
● Talking about progress — As we mentioned earlier, “homework” is an essential aspect of couples therapy. Without it, any progress that’s made during the session doesn’t prove to have made an effective impact on a couple’s day-to-day life. Your therapist will ask you to talk about the results of the homework and notable changes that have been made to address recurring issues. They’ll be able to see the effort that each partner is making and instruct how to make further improvements to achieve the desired goals.
● Developing skills — Helping clients learn how to improve their mental, emotional and behavioral patterns with the right tools is key to any type of therapy, whether it be individual, couple or family sessions. For couples, common skills that are often worked on include communication, conflict resolution and compromise. A therapist will determine the skills that require the most work in your relationship and help you develop them during each session.
How to know when it’s time to book a virtual couples therapy session with MoodRx
Couples therapy is for people who want to strengthen their relationship, effectively solve conflicts, and work to build a healthy, fulfilling future together. But it’s important to remember that it only works if both partners want to put in the effort.
If there are irreconcilable differences or one partner refuses to take responsibility for what they’ve contributed to the relationship’s issues, couples therapy likely won’t bring any positive results. It’s also important to note that situations involving mental health conditions, with either or both parties, would benefit more from individual therapy or treatment.
So how do you know if it’s time to book a virtual couples therapy session? Here are some signs or circumstances:
● Difficult time with a life transition or change, such as marriage or a new baby
● Significant issues that both partners want to work past, such as infidelity
● Lack of intimacy or continuous intimacy issues
● Financial difficulties or disagreements
● Recurring fights about the same topic without a resolution
● Trust issues
At MoodRx, we provide virtual couples therapy that enables people to strengthen their relationships in an accessible, flexible and private way. Our licensed therapists can help couples with the three M’s: monitor, match and manage:
● Monitor the challenges that are interfering with having a healthy, fulfilling relationship.
● Match with a virtual mental health therapist for your particular concerns based on a free consultation.
● Manage your care through collaboration with your therapist as individuals and a couple.
Your couples therapist will ensure that you know what to expect from sessions and their role in helping your relationship.
When you’re ready to book your first virtual couples therapy session, contact our team today for more information or to sign up for free.
