Couples therapy is sometimes referred to as marriage counseling. Not all couples are married, so the term couples therapy is preferred. Similar to family therapy, couples therapy focuses on the relationship between the two people without blaming either person for the problems.
Some couples attend pre-marital counseling before getting married. This allows them to anticipate problems in their relationship. Gay and lesbian couples can also benefit from couples therapy.
In many cases couples therapy focuses on the communication between the partners. There is often work on how to "really listen" to what the other partner is saying, and work on using "I statements" when confronting the partner about a problem. Staying focused on how you feel when your partner does a certain thing (rather than focusing on the thing that they do) helps your partner listen without becoming defensive.
Sex therapy is often considered to be a type of couples therapy that focuses on the sexual aspect of the relationship.
Last updated 1/29/06
