Frequently Asked Questions About Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling
Deciding to begin therapy is a meaningful step, and it's natural to have questions before getting started. At Still Committed, I specialize in couples therapy and relationship counseling for couples in Coral Springs, Florida, and throughout Florida through online therapy.
This FAQ answers common questions about couples therapy, including what to expect, how therapy works, affair recovery, intensive couples therapy, premarital counseling, fees, confidentiality, and getting started. You'll also find information about Relationship Therapy for individuals who want to better understand and improve their relationships.
If you're considering therapy and aren't sure what type of support is right for you, you're welcome to explore the questions below or request a complimentary 15-minute consultation to discuss your situation.
Considering Couples Therapy
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If you're considering couples therapy, there's usually a reason you're looking for support. Maybe you're having the same arguments repeatedly, struggling to communicate, feeling emotionally distant, experiencing changes in intimacy, or finding it difficult to rebuild trust.
Couples therapy isn't only for relationships in crisis. Many couples seek therapy because they recognize that their current patterns aren't working and want help creating a healthier, more connected relationship.
You don't have to wait until your marriage or relationship is at a breaking point. If you're unsure whether therapy is right for you, that's something we can discuss during your complimentary consultation.
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Not necessarily. Couples often come to therapy after months or even years of conflict, resentment, emotional distance, or other challenges and wonder whether too much has happened for their relationship to change.
There isn't a simple answer for every couple, and therapy can't guarantee a particular outcome. However, difficult seasons don't necessarily mean your relationship is beyond repair.
Couples therapy can help you understand the patterns that have developed between you, take responsibility for your part in those patterns, and begin creating healthier ways of responding to each other.
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It's common for one partner to be more ready for therapy than the other. One person may feel hopeful about counseling while the other is skeptical, worried about being blamed, or unsure whether therapy can help.
If your partner isn't ready, you can still reach out for a complimentary consultation. We can talk about what's happening and explore what options may make sense.
Couples therapy works best when both partners are willing to participate, but they don't always reach that point at the same time.
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No. My role isn't to determine who is right or wrong or to take one partner's side over the other's. The relationship is the client.
That doesn't mean I will avoid addressing individual behaviors or patterns when they're affecting the relationship. Both partners should feel heard and understood while also being willing to take responsibility for their part in the relationship.
Couples therapy isn't about deciding who wins an argument. It's about understanding the patterns you're caught in and learning how to change them.
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Couples therapy isn't about persuading you to stay together or telling you to leave. My role is to help you understand what's happening in your relationship, communicate more effectively, and work toward the goals you bring into therapy.
If you're committed to repairing your marriage or relationship, we'll work toward that goal. If you're uncertain about what you want, therapy can help you gain greater clarity.
I won't make that decision for you. Your relationship and your future belong to you.
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Couples therapy can still be helpful even if you've tried therapy before. Sometimes couples leave therapy with communication tools but without addressing the deeper patterns that continue to create conflict or disconnection. Other times, the approach or therapist simply wasn't the right fit.
In our work, the goal isn't simply to give you another set of communication tools. It's to understand what keeps happening between you, why those patterns continue, and how you can begin responding to each other differently. We'll work toward greater emotional connection, more productive communication, and healthier ways of navigating conflict and challenges together.
My work incorporates Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and The Gottman Method, along with other interventions when appropriate. Your therapy is tailored to your relationship and the goals you bring to therapy.
What to Expect in Couples Therapy
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Before your first appointment, you'll complete questionnaires that help me understand your relationship, concerns, history, and goals.
During your first session, we'll discuss what brought you to therapy, your relationship history, the challenges you're experiencing, and what you hope to accomplish. We'll also review informed consent, confidentiality, and expectations for our work together.
As part of the assessment process, I may meet individually with each partner. These sessions are part of the couples therapy process and help me understand each of you more fully.
The goal of the first session isn't to solve everything immediately. It's to begin understanding your relationship and establish a foundation for meaningful work.
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Most couples begin with weekly 80-minute sessions. The longer session gives us enough time to move beyond the immediate conflict, explore the patterns affecting your relationship, and work toward meaningful change.
As progress is made and positive changes become more consistent, we can gradually adjust the frequency of sessions based on your needs.
The goal isn't to keep you in therapy indefinitely, but to help you develop the understanding and skills to navigate your relationship with greater confidence and connection.
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Every couple is different, so there isn't a predetermined number of sessions that will work for everyone.
Many couples benefit from approximately three to six months of consistent work, although some couples benefit from therapy for a shorter or longer period.
As meaningful changes become established and you feel more confident navigating challenges on your own, we'll adjust the frequency of sessions accordingly.
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Couples therapy often involves more than addressing the issue that brought you into the room. We may need time to understand the patterns beneath the conflict, hear from both partners, slow down difficult conversations, and practice new ways of responding to each other.
80-minute sessions give us the time and space to do that work without feeling rushed. They can be especially helpful when couples are dealing with significant conflict, emotional disconnection, or infidelity.
Longer sessions aren't required for every couple, and we'll discuss what format makes the most sense for your needs.
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My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and focused on helping couples understand the patterns that shape their relationship. Rather than simply focusing on who is right or wrong, we'll work to understand what is happening between you and how those patterns can change.
I incorporate Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and The Gottman Method, along with other therapeutic approaches and interventions as appropriate. The approach is tailored to your relationship, your circumstances, and the goals you bring to therapy.
My goal is to help you develop a stronger understanding of each other, improve communication and emotional connection, and build healthier ways of navigating challenges together.
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All emotions are welcome here. Couples therapy can bring up difficult emotions, especially when you're talking about experiences that have been painful or unresolved. It's okay to become upset, emotional, or even unsure of what to say during a session.
My role is to help create a space where both partners can slow things down, feel heard, and work through difficult moments in a productive way. We don't have to avoid difficult emotions; we work together to understand what is happening and help you navigate it safely and constructively.
If a conversation becomes too overwhelming, we can slow down, pause, or adjust the direction of the session as needed.
Trust, Infidelity & Affair Recovery
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Yes. Couples can recover after infidelity, although rebuilding trust takes time, honesty, and a commitment from both partners to participate in the healing process.
After an affair, couples may experience anger, grief, insecurity, intrusive thoughts, loss of trust, and uncertainty about the future.
Couples therapy can provide a structured environment to understand what happened, address the impact of the betrayal, and begin rebuilding trust and connection.
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Infidelity isn't the only experience that can damage trust. Couples may struggle after repeated dishonesty, secrecy, broken promises, financial betrayal, emotional boundaries being crossed, or other experiences that leave one or both partners feeling hurt or disconnected.
Therapy can help couples understand the impact of what happened, take responsibility where appropriate, communicate more honestly, and begin rebuilding a sense of security in the relationship.
Intensive Couples Therapy
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Intensive Couples Therapy is a concentrated format that gives you and your partner several uninterrupted days to focus deeply on your relationship rather than meeting for traditional weekly therapy.
Intensives may be helpful for couples experiencing significant conflict, communication difficulties, emotional disconnection, or a breach of trust, as well as couples who want focused time to strengthen their relationship.
Your intensive is personalized around your relationship and goals and may be structured as one, two, or three days depending on your needs and schedule.
The work incorporates approaches including the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
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Intensive Couples Therapy can be helpful for couples at many different points in their relationship. Some couples come to an intensive during a crisis because they're experiencing significant conflict, emotional pain, disconnection, or a breach of trust and want dedicated time to begin working through what happened, reduce the intensity of the conflict, and gain clarity about what comes next.
Other couples aren't in crisis at all. They may have a strong relationship but want focused time to strengthen their connection, address concerns before they become larger problems, or work intentionally toward a specific relationship goal.
An intensive may be a good fit when you want more concentrated time and space to focus on your relationship than traditional weekly sessions provide. The right format depends less on whether your relationship is "good" or "bad" and more on what you hope to accomplish.
During your consultation, we can discuss your circumstances and goals and determine whether an intensive or traditional weekly couples therapy would be the better fit.
Premarital Counseling
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Premarital counseling gives you and your partner an opportunity to intentionally prepare for marriage—not just plan your wedding.
We may explore communication, conflict, finances, expectations, family dynamics, intimacy, roles, values, children, and other areas that can shape your life together.
I primarily use the PREPARE/ENRICH model in premarital counseling and also incorporate the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) when appropriate.
The process typically begins with an initial assessment and an online relationship assessment completed separately by each partner. I then use the results to develop a personalized Couples Report and tailor the remaining sessions to your relationship.
I am also an approved premarital course provider in Broward County, Florida. Couples who complete at least four hours of the qualifying premarital course receive a Certificate of Completion, which allows eligible couples to waive Florida's three-day marriage-license waiting period and get married as soon as the same day they apply for their marriage license, subject to applicable requirements.
Most couples complete approximately eight sessions before their wedding.
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Having a strong, healthy relationship doesn't mean you can't benefit from premarital counseling. Many couples choose premarital counseling because they want to be intentional about preparing for marriage, even when their relationship is already in a good place.
Premarital counseling gives you an opportunity to talk openly about expectations, communication, conflict, finances, family, intimacy, values, and other areas of married life before they become potential sources of conflict.
The goal isn't to find problems in an otherwise healthy relationship. It's to help you understand each other more deeply, identify areas where you may have different expectations, and build skills that can support your marriage for years to come.
Relationship Therapy for Individuals
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Yes. While Still Committed primarily specializes in couples therapy, I also offer Relationship Therapy for individuals who want to better understand, process, and improve their relationships.
Relationship Therapy may be helpful if you've recently experienced a breakup and are trying to make sense of what happened, or if you want to explore patterns that have developed across relationships throughout your life.
You don't have to be in a relationship to benefit from this work. We can explore past and present relationships, recurring patterns, boundaries, attachment, communication, emotional needs, and the ways your experiences may be influencing how you relate to others today.
The goal isn't simply to analyze what went wrong. It's an opportunity to develop greater self-awareness, process your experiences, and gain insight that can help you move forward with greater clarity and intention.
Fees & Practical Questions
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Initial 50-minute session: $275
Initial 80-minute session: $360
Ongoing 50-minute session: $200
Ongoing 80-minute session: $285Payment can be made by major credit or debit card.
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I am a private-pay therapist and do not accept insurance directly. Payment can be made by major credit or debit card.
If you have questions about payment options, you're welcome to discuss them during your consultation.
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Both. I offer in-person couples therapy in Coral Springs, Florida, as well as online therapy for clients located throughout Florida.
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My regular clinical hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment.
I also offer concierge services for couples and individuals who need greater flexibility outside of regular office hours. Concierge services may be a good option for clients whose schedules, professional demands, travel, or other circumstances make traditional appointment times difficult.
Concierge availability and rates vary based on the day and session length. Please reach out to discuss your needs and current options.
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I ask for at least 24 hours' notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment.
Appointments cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours' notice are subject to the full session fee.
Confidentiality & Getting Started
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Yes. Couples therapy is confidential, subject to the limits of confidentiality required by law and the policies explained in your informed consent.
Because the couple is considered the client in couples therapy, I use a "No Secrets" Policy when I meet individually with either partner. Individual sessions are considered part of the couples therapy process rather than separate individual therapy.
This means that while I maintain confidentiality and do not release information to third parties without appropriate authorization or when disclosure is required by law, information shared with me individually may need to be brought into the couples therapy when I believe it is clinically relevant to the work.
When appropriate, I will first give the individual an opportunity to share the information themselves. If you have something you absolutely do not want your partner to know, individual therapy with a therapist who is treating you separately may be a better fit.
Before beginning couples therapy, both partners will have an opportunity to review and discuss the "No Secrets" Policy and acknowledge their understanding of how confidentiality works in couples therapy.
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Getting started begins with a complimentary 15-minute consultation. Rather than simply choosing an appointment time online, you'll have an opportunity to connect with me personally, share a little about what brings you to therapy, ask questions, and determine whether we may be a good fit.
If it feels like we're a good fit, we'll schedule your initial appointment together and discuss the next steps.
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The consultation is a brief opportunity for us to connect before beginning therapy. We'll talk about what brings you in, what you're hoping to accomplish, and any questions you have about the therapy process.
It's also a chance for both of us to determine whether Still Committed feels like the right fit for your relationship.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You don't have to figure everything out before reaching out. If you're wondering whether couples therapy or Relationship Therapy is right for you, I'm happy to talk with you about what's happening, answer your questions, and help you determine the best next step.