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What types of relationship issues can therapists help with?
Therapists who specialize in relationships work with individuals, couples, and families on a wide range of issues. Common concerns include communication problems, infidelity, intimacy difficulties, and navigating major life transitions such as marriage, parenthood, or caregiving. Family therapists may also address parent–child conflict, sibling rivalry, or other complex family dynamics.
What are the different types of therapy for relationship issues?
Relationship issues can be addressed through different types of therapy depending on whether you’re seeking help as an individual, couple, or family. In individual therapy, the focus is often on helping an individual understand how their own patterns, attachment style, and past experiences may be shaping their current relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), attachment therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) are three common forms of individual treatment that can help individuals understand their current relationship dynamics and improve their relationship quality.
Couples therapy often uses other forms of evidence-based treatment, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) or the Gottman Method. Rather than focusing on the individual, these approaches focus on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional bonds between individuals in a relationship. Similarly, family therapy often focuses on communication but also examines how larger-scale dynamics—such as how parenting styles, generational differences, or sibling roles—may shape family relationships.
What actually happens in a therapy session for relationship issues?
The structure of a session depends on whether therapy involves one person or multiple people. In individual sessions, the focus may be on exploring personal patterns, role-playing difficult conversations, practicing listening skills, or setting goals for handling conflict. In couples or family sessions, each person is encouraged to share their perspective while the therapist helps uncover underlying emotions, highlight unhelpful interaction patterns, and guide more constructive communication.
How can I find an effective relationship therapist?
Finding a therapist who is a good fit for your needs, either for individual, couples, or family therapy, is critical to ensure effective therapy. Psychology Today’s online directory makes it easy to search for therapists who specialize in relationship issues, as well as related topics like marriage counseling. The platform offers filters to help you find a provider who fits your needs, such as gender, location, and fees. While the Psychology Today directory also offers the ability to filter by insurance type, it’s important to note that insurance may not cover many types of relationship therapy, such as couples counseling, so it’s important to inquire with your insurance plan about specific coverage details if intending to use insurance for therapy.