Online marriage counseling is a great alternative to in-person sessions, as it can be easier to work into a busy schedule, it’s often cheaper, and it can feel less intimidating to folks who may be wary to try it. Here’s what to know about online marriage counseling and whether it’s right for your marriage, plus some options to consider. Anything that could come up during in-person marriage counseling is still on the table when the counseling goes online. Discussions around finances, sex, parenting, and any other recurring issues can be addressed and worked on with the help of a therapist, who provides mediation and feedback. “A majority of therapists who do online counseling conduct the sessions ’live’ via Zoom or another platform,” psychologist and relationship expert Karin Abrell, M.A., Ph.D., explains. She notes that the online counseling process “moves a bit more slowly, and therapists have fewer ‘readability’ moments,” as far as body language and visual cues. Nevertheless, “the depth of the counseling can still exist.” There are also options that are more akin to workshops or group therapy, in which multiple couples can attend and learn together. That one-on-one feedback isn’t there in quite the same way, but there’s the benefit of learning in a group instead of feeling all the attention and spotlight on your relationship. “I offer classes online, and those are also fabulous. Many people like learning in a class but not having to be in a room with other people,” licensed marriage and family therapist Linda Carroll, M.S., LMFT, tells mbg. Therapy may be covered by some insurance plans—but in many cases, it’s not, making online a good option for the frugal couple. Carroll describes it as “really excellent.” As a marriage therapist herself, she was reluctant to take her practice online at first, but now that it’s been a few years, she’s definitely behind it. “Several studies have pointed to it being as effective as in-person,” she tells mbg. In her own experience, she thinks online works well in the beginning though does note that as things start to get deeper, “I still prefer us all to be together.” Abrell agrees that online counseling, and even counseling over the phone, is effective, despite some of those nonverbal elements not being as apparent. Abrell notes that online marriage counseling is great because it also allows you to connect with therapists around the country, and even around the world. Plus, with the pandemic still ongoing, “COVID-cautious clients may prefer online,” she says. And if one partner is a bit reluctant to try therapy (which Abrell notes is more common in men, according to research), they may be more willing to attend because they can stay in their own environment. “Many therapists find men are more open to it if they’re able to remain in their own space,” she explains.
