What Is the Difference Between Couples Therapy and Marriage Counselling?

Couples therapy and marriage counselling are two well-liked recommendations for couples going through a difficult time. Many people mistakenly believe that these two processes are extremely similar, although they are actually quite distinct.

There is a reason why a lot of us mistakenly use couples therapy and marriage counselling interchangeably. Couples therapy and marriage counselling are both services provided to persons who are experiencing stress in their relationship.

You will be expected to speak with a specialist or licensed professional who has formal academic training about marriage or relationships in general while going through the process. Although they may appear to be somewhat similar, they are not.

The definitions of “couples counselling” and “marriage therapy” in the dictionary are different, as you can see.

But let’s pay attention to this issue: What actually separates couple therapy from marriage counselling? Find out what the differences are between marriage counselling and couples therapy.

Couples therapy or marriage counselling?

What is the focus of marriage counselling?

Couples who seek marriage counselling can better manage the difficulties of marriage. Reestablishing the relationship is the aim. It focuses on the “today” and the problems that couples encounter frequently. You have the chance to discuss your disagreements and compromises during marriage counselling. Counselling helps you both confront your issues for a stronger and happy relationship more than anything else.

Marriage counselling also aims to teach the couple effective communication skills. Counselling might help restore or reignite the trust.

Does couples counselling actually work? Absolutely, it works really well because it helps the couple deal with the various types of stress that might arise in a relationship.

Unlike to therapies, which are typically long-term focused treatments, marriage counselling is typically a short-term focused treatment.

One could even argue that counselling and therapy for married couples overlap, which is why people often mistake one for the other. What happens in couples therapy?

Contrarily, marriage counselling will call for you to address your problems at their core. That entails investigating the origins of your earlier disputes and confrontations.

It differs from couples therapy in that it may address your private and personal difficulties in order to comprehend the behavior you are displaying in the relationship.

Understanding the whys rather than the hows is more important.

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What exactly is couples therapy then? Therapy will provide an answer to the question “Why do we have these kinds of problems?” and help you identify the particular relationship issue that needs to be addressed. For instance, a couple going through difficult times because one of them has a disease may need to go to therapy to learn how to handle the circumstance.

This does not imply that counselling is only available to couples who have issues on this level. To solve compatibility problems and get the best advise possible, you can also consult a couples therapist.

Couples counselling is stigmatized, which is an issue. This stigma serves no useful purpose.

A lot of couples avoid the help they need rather than looking for a solution. Many couples choose not to seek counselling because they are afraid of what other people will think of them, rather than giving their relationship a chance to improve.

When it ought to be one of the first choices, it is for them the final alternative.

Marriage counsellor’s versus a couples therapist’s role

What exactly do marriage counsellors perform during a session with a couple?

In marital and relationship counselling, the counsellor’s job is to listen to the issues and help the couples talk through them. The counsellor acts as a mediator, enabling the couple to communicate in an orderly manner.

In actuality, your marriage may receive counselling from a church leader. The counsellor’s job is to play the position of the referee by preventing the couple from speaking in harmony, shouting at one another, or acting aggressively in any other way.

Marriage and couples counselling can assist the couple in creating new ground rules for their relationship to reduce disputes, provided that both sides are willing and cooperative.

For instance, if one of you has inclinations toward workaholism, the counsellor would advise against bringing work into the house in order to prioritize family time.

You could get some boundary-setting assistance from the counsellor. For instance, the counsellor may advise you to respect each other’s privacy by putting phone locks on if both of you are okay with it if one of you has a tendency to look through your partner’s phone without asking.

These decisions may involve marriage counsellors, but it will rely on a number of variables.

For instance, marriage counsellors are professionals, but they need to be licensed by the state in order to diagnose mental illness if it’s a significant contributing factor in your relationship’s issues. Other counsellors, however, may not necessarily need a license in order to provide counselling.

On the other hand, marriage or couples therapists are qualified and permitted to offer a wide range of mental health services for any problem that is hurting the relationship. Couples psychologists can discuss your experience with depression and how it impacts your interactions with your partner during therapy.

In the event of a more significant finding, they would still need to refer you to psychiatrists.

When working with clients, therapists follow a fairly planned procedure. There are mainly four steps to the treatment:

1. The therapist will attempt to build a focus on a specific issue as the first stage. It could involve sexual problems, drug or alcohol misuse, infidelity, or jealousy.
2. The therapist will actively intervene in the relationship in the second step to find a solution.
3. In the third step, the therapist will specify the treatment’s goals.
4. You will finally come up with a solution as a group, with the understanding that something will have to alter in terms of behavior as a result.

InquireTalk also provides online individual counselling in addition to couples therapy. In comparison to in-person therapy, it is more discreet, practical, and affordable. InquireTalk is the ideal place to start if you’re ready to begin couples therapy and marriage counselling.

You can contact and book a therapy with InquireTalk counsellors:

Joanne Welsh

Elaine Tarsh

Nicola Keenan