Marriage, Couples and Relationship Counseling

Attending Couples Counseling and Therapy in Philadelphia

At Equilibria Psychological and Consultation Services, we offer couples therapy and marriage counseling to help couples navigate the challenges and obstacles that often arise in relationships. The relationship counseling experience is aimed at increasing empathetic understanding, improving effective communication, and providing an opportunity for mutual growth in your relationship.

Is there a difference between marriage, couples, and relationship counseling or therapy?

The short answer is: no. These terms are often used interchangeably..When people join together as part of an intimate relationship, challenges and struggles may arise as they strive to attain and maintain satisfaction in their relationship. The relationship counseling experience is aimed at increasing empathetic understanding, improving effective communication, and providing an opportunity for mutual growth in your relationship. Equilibria’s relationship therapists include those who are queer and poly affirming.

Why Participate in Relationship Counseling?

There are many reasons why those in a relationship may seek counseling together. Relationship counseling aims to increase empathetic understanding, improve effective communication and problem-solving, and provide an opportunity for mutual growth. This type of growth can positively impact the relationship as a whole and also each partner individually.

Reasons Your Relationship May Benefit from Counseling

“Our communication has really declined in quantity and quality.”
“It feels like we are just occupying the same space.”
“It feels like we are just going through the motions.”
“One of us has had or is considering having an affair.”
“We don’t have a sex life anymore.”
“We don’t know how to resolve our differences anymore.”
“My resentment is building and I can’t move past it.”
“Their resentment is building and they can’t move past it.”
“Separating seems like the only way I’ll be happy at this point.”
“We don’t see eye to eye on finances/social life/work/parenting.”
“We’re just staying together for the children.”
“We just want to strengthen our relationship.”
“Something big happened and we need help working through it.”
“I don’t feel like I know my partner anymore.”
“Everything my partner does seems to annoy me.”
“We are considering opening/closing our relationship.”
“We are having trouble setting boundaries with our family of origin or people outside of our relationship.”

The Relationship Counseling and Therapy Process

For the first several sessions of couples therapy, Equilibria’s relationship counselors will assess your relationship. Our counselors are trying to figure out the patterns that exist. Some of the patterns within the relationship that will be assessed include:

What is the glue keeping you both in the relationship?
Your relationship’s stresses and conflicts
Your relationship’s strengths and weaknesses
Your relationship’s communication patterns
Each person’s expectations for both the relationship and their individual lives
Your relationship’s history

In addition to looking at the patterns of the relationship, Equilibria’s couples therapist will also assess each of you individually to understand the history and expectations each brings into the relationship.

The couple and the therapist will then set realistic goals for the course of your couples therapy that will be revisited frequently over time. Occasionally, one person in the relationship chooses not to continue with the counseling. This does not mean the couples therapy has to end. Many times just one partner seeking counseling can experience significant changes that influence the course of the relationship. However, with couples therapy, it is ideal if both partners are committed to working on the issues together.

Schedule an Appointment With A Relationship Therapist

If you would like to meet or talk with one of our relationship counselors, call us at (267) 861-3685, option 1; or, fill out our contact form.