Every relationship has its ups and downs. How you decide to deal with those ups and downs can make all the difference. Most couples don’t want to throw in the towel easily, but the idea of saving the marriage may seem difficult without help from a therapist. Before entering marriage counseling or couples’ therapy, most patients want to know how long it’s going to take. Can you put a timestamp on fixing your relationship? The answer may surprise you.
How Many Sessions Does Marriage Counseling Take?
In marriage counseling, the main goal is to repair your relationship so that you can eventually end marriage counseling. While it may help to return at various points during your relationship, the initial counseling sessions will vary based on your issues and ultimate goals.
If you have very specific goals, your therapist might be able to work out your problems in as little as four to six sessions. Issues with communication, parenting, and financing are often problems that take less time to solve. Some challenges, however, may take longer for a therapist to help with. On average, it may take between 12 and 16 sessions to resolve your problems.
In most cases, couples begin therapy by attending it once a week. Then, as the problems become resolved, the couple may visit the therapist’s office less often. They may attend meetings once a month before deciding to finish therapy entirely.
How long Does Each Session Take?
When you settle into the therapist’s office, remember that you want to make each visit count. You need enough time for the two of you to talk about your issues and to come to small resolutions while you are there. It won’t help if you don’t have enough time to have a productive conversation with your therapist. This is why most therapy sessions last around 50 minutes. This gives you ample time to discuss what’s on your mind, for your spouse to speak and for the therapist to help you.
When it comes to marriage counseling, the time it takes you to resolve your problems is highly dependent on the problems that you are facing in your marriage or relationship. The best way to determine how long the therapy will take is to speak with a therapist, like a couples therapist in Palatine, IL, as soon as possible. He or she will be able to give you an estimate of your therapy sessions and how long you may have to attend. Keep in mind that these are only estimates.
Thank you to the experts at Lotus Wellness Center, for their contributions to counseling and therapy.
