Find a Couples Counseling Psychiatrist

Yes, psychiatrists are medical doctors who can provide psychotherapy, such as couples counseling, in addition to prescribing medication. While most psychiatry does happen on an individual basis, some psychiatrists specialize in couples. Seeing a psychiatrist may be especially helpful when relationship challenges are connected to diagnosed mental health conditions (like depression, anxiety, trauma, or ADHD) that may benefit from the medical evaluation or medication management provided by a psychiatrist.

A psychiatrist may be a good fit for couples facing relationship challenges when one or both partners have a diagnosed or suspected mental health condition, are already taking psychiatric medication, or may benefit from a medical evaluation. Psychiatrists can integrate medical care and psychiatric evaluation with relationship counseling, while therapists can not prescribe medication and focus solely on psychotherapy.

All psychiatrists receive the same medical training, so there is no separate training or licensure for couples psychiatrists. However, some psychiatrists choose to offer couples counseling as part of their practice. In couples psychiatry sessions, the focus is on relationship and communication challenges, while also considering each partner’s mental health and any medications they are on. In individual psychiatry, care centers on one person’s symptoms and treatment plan, which allows for more individualized evaluation and medication management. This makes individual psychiatry more appropriate when relationship concerns are not the primary issue and one or both partners are seeking treatment for their own mental health conditions.