What kind of therapy is it?

Behavioural Couples Therapy works with both partners in a relationship who are experiencing difficulties and finding it hard to resolve. It may draw on a range of therapeutic approaches such as integrative couples therapy as well. It’s normal for couples in a relationship to struggle from time to time. Whether it is due to simple miscommunications, individual traumas impacting your relationship, depression, work stress, a life change (such as having kids!) or something else, every relationship experiences its challenges and needs. At times, some of those needs may require an outside moderator to help guide the couple to a potential solution. There is no “one size fits all” approach for working through life’s challenges when it comes to couples.

How does it work?

In couples therapy, both partners will develop a greater understanding of what is causing the difficulties in your relationship, by examining both how the partners in the relationship interact, and the wider context surrounding them. You will then work to change any behaviours that are contributing to the difficulties, to express thoughts and feelings more openly, to communicate more skillfully, and to further develop the strengths that the relationship already has.

What will a typical session be like?

Couples therapists take a non-judgemental stance: no-one is blamed, judged, or seen as “the problem” in the relationship. I will use a range of techniques in sessions but are always likely to emphasise honest, open communication between the partners in the relationship. There will be strategies introduced from session to session to practice with each other depending on what the difficulties are in your relationship.

What’s the evidence?

Little research has been done on couples therapy, but there is good evidence that it is an effective treatment for depression. Often when a partner is depressed this has a large impact on the relationship but also on your partner and vice versa. Feeling distressed by the relationship can also lead to low mood, and using BCT has shown to be effecting in improving mood and relationship satisfaction overall.

If both you and your partner agree that there are difficulties within the relationship (it doesn’t have to be the same things) it might be worth considering a behavioural approach to couples therapy where solutions and strategies are implemented to improve how you feel about your relationship and partner.