Marriage counseling with a Coaching Approach
Marriage can be the greatest blessing in your life. We know a lot about the habits, the mindset, and the strategies for conflict management used by couples who remain happy for the long term. The good news is, these are skills that can be learned and I use a skills-based approach to strengthening your marriage. Most marriages face challenges, and go through phases of disconnection and reconnection, that’s life. But strong relationship skills such as compromise, empathy, listening and validating, can make your relationship resilient to the challenges you face together. We can take a faith-based approach to this journey if you so choose with Christian marriage counseling, but this is entirely up to your preference.
I meet with couples between 10-16 sessions on a weekly basis, but this varies depending on each couple and your specific needs. Couples counseling sessions last for 90 minutes each.We can meet face-to-face in my office in downtown Rochester MI, or we can meet through video conference on a secure platform.
Couples and marriage counseling is not covered by insurance, and this is because the focus in on the relationship, not on treating an individual mental health disorder. The out-of-pocket cost is the standard rate for 90 minute sessions of $150, or a 60 minute session rate is $120.
Marriage counseling starts with these steps:
- Session 1, I will meet with you together as a couple. This day is about gathering information from you. We will talk about all of the specific concerns that have prompted you to seek couples counseling, I will ask you about your relationship history, and I will explain my theory and approach for how to build a strong marriage so that you have a clear idea of what to expect moving forward.
- Session 2 will be split in half and I will spend individual time with each of you for half of the appointment. This time is important to get a better sense of your unique perspective and needs within your relationship, and make sure you are individually in a good position to start couples work.
- I will send each of you the Gottman Relationship Checkup to complete online independently. This relationship assessment tool collects information based on 40 years of research by Dr. John Gottman, on why relationships succeed or fail. It will assess strengths and areas for improvement in your relationship.
- Session 3 we will meet as a couple and I will give you full feedback from your Gottman Relationship Checkup and we will clarify our roadmap for how we will use our time together.
A happy and thriving marriage is possible for every couple
If you are ready to strengthen your marriage and relationship through couple counseling please click the ‘I’m Interested!’ button below to get in touch with me, or check out the ‘How To Get Started’ page. My office is located in downtown Rochester, Michigan.