How Is Online Couples Therapy Possible?

According to Forbes, over 49% of couples attend marriage therapy and even more attend couples therapy. A couple might try couples therapy for many reasons, and each reason can be valid. Whether you're looking to discuss divorce options, make changes in your communication, try cognitive behavioral therapy, or learn new skills to benefit your relationship, attending couples therapy with a couples therapist can be a valuable resource. 

The format of couples therapy can depend on the needs of each partner and the goals they have for relationship therapy. When seeking a therapist, many modern couples choose to try online therapy due to its convenient format and flexibility. With an online therapist, you can attend online therapy sessions from two locations and try different technological therapy session formats.

How does online couples therapy work?

Couples counseling has traditionally occurred in person, so online couples therapy may be unfamiliar to some couples. Below are some factors you might find in an online couples therapy platform like Regain. 

Sign-up 

Signing up for online couples therapy is a lot like signing up for individual online cognitive behavioral therapy. To get signed up for counseling services from an online couples therapy service, go to the website of any online therapy platform you're interested in. You can then answer a short questionnaire about your needs for couples therapy, any mental health challenges you're experiencing, and your preferences for a therapist. During the sign-up phase, you can invite your partner to the account or opt out of that until later. 

Have a conversation with your partner before inviting them to therapy. Therapy may be most effective when both partners are willing and able to commit to therapy sessions. If your partner is not interested in attending online therapy with you, you can also partake in individual therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy, and relationship counseling through your chosen platform. 

Matching

After signing up and paying the online therapy session fee, you will get matched with a therapist or choose one from a given list. Many of the best online platforms offer a matching system to take the work out of finding a match for clients and therapists. However, if you don't fit with the therapist matched to you, you can change them within the same hour, which is a difference between online and in-person therapy.

Messaging 

Once you are matched with your therapist, you'll enter an online chat room where you can have unlimited messaging with your therapist. This chat room lets you get started, schedule appointments, give journal entries, and send attachments. Your therapist can also send you information in this area. Note that the chat room is not the therapy session. 

If your counselor is online when you type your message, they can respond immediately, similar to the live chat services offered by many websites. If your counselor is not online or in session with another client when you message them, they can see your message and respond the next time they are available.

Setting up sessions

When you're ready, you can schedule a session within the therapy app or website you've signed up for. Look at your therapist's calendar for availability and choose the best timeslots for you. 

Attending sessions

On the date and time of your appointment, you and your partner can enter the chat room on your phone or computer, and your therapist can start your live session in either phone, video, or chat format. If you and your partner are not in the same location, they can log in to the account on their end using their link, and you can attend the session separately. Many online sessions last from 30 to 60 minutes. 

Is online couples therapy effective?

While in-person therapy has been popular throughout the past, recent research suggests that online counseling through a licensed provider can be as effective as face-to-face counseling.

In couples counseling, the therapist is a sounding board and advisor, not an active participant. In this way, some couples find that the level of detachment available in online marriage counseling can be helpful. For example, couples might worry their therapist is "picking sides" in person. However, in online phone, chat, or video sessions, they can have a level of distance that allows them to feel in control of their treatment process. 

Further, some couples might feel that talking to a couples therapist over the internet helps them feel more comfortable with trying therapy. Much like family therapy. Couples counseling can be scary or nerve-wracking, and going to an office can be intimidating. Talking to a couples therapist over the internet can feel more like asking someone for advice than sitting in an office and waiting for the unknown. 

Does online couples therapy hinder communication?

Unless utilizing video chat, the online therapy medium may reduce a couple's ability to pick up body language cues, and text messages may not convey a tone of voice. However, depending on your needs, these aspects of therapy can be a benefit instead of a hindrance. 

For many couples, a part of couples therapy is learning to communicate more effectively and directly by saying what you mean. Writing down your thoughts instead of speaking can allow you to examine your desires, feelings, and expectations. This process can involve slowing down and thinking about what you want instead of blurting out whatever comes to mind. 

In addition, some couples felt that video chatting improved communication and made them feel more connected with their therapist than in person. 

How do you know an online therapist is qualified?

If you are considering online couples therapy or marriage counseling, you might feel unsure of how to check your therapist's authenticity. Online therapists must be licensed and experienced in their state to practice therapy. Although it varies by platform, many online therapists are also in-person therapists who have decided to grow their practice by taking clients from multiple locations. 

Different websites have different criteria for those that contract under them. In the United States and many other countries, calling yourself a licensed counselor without a license to practice therapy is illegal. To check if your therapist is licensed, you can contact their state board anytime. 

Because of the legal requirements involved with online counseling, many online therapy platforms state up-front what qualifications they require their counselors to hold and how their counselors are vetted. Check these requirements before signing up. 

Regain, for example, only accepts licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists (Ph.D. or PsyD), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW or LMSW) or licensed professional therapists (LPC or LPCC). All Regain therapists have a master's or a doctoral degree in their field. They have been licensed by their state's professional board after completing the necessary education, exams, training, and practice. 

While their experience, expertise, and background vary, all Regain therapists possess at least three years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience. Given that Regain specializes in relationships, all of the platform's therapists also have a specific interest and expertise in relationship therapy. They are happy to work with either individuals or couples.

Online couples counseling options 

Traditional couples therapy can be expensive. For many couples, splitting the cost of an online platform can be more affordable regardless of if the platform accepts insurance. Many online platforms charge $60 to $90 weekly, paid every four weeks. When split between partners, this cost can be $40 to $45 a week, and it includes unlimited messaging, a weekly session, and other relevant mental health tools, worksheets, and resources. With in-person couples therapy costing $175 to $275 a session on average, many couples find online therapy the most cost-effective and beneficial. 

Studies showcase that online relationship therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy. If you're interested in connecting with a couples therapist, consider signing up with a platform like Regain, which can be utilized by both individuals and couples looking for relationship, family, communication, and love advice.