4 Steps to Take Before Starting Couples Therapy

Starting therapy as a couple can be a positive step toward healing and growth. Couples therapy may improve communication, rebuild intimacy, and provide relationship check-ins. Working with a couples therapist is an effective way to improve your relationship. At Better Being Group, we strive to make the process transparent, collaborative, and tailored to your specific goals. Here are four steps to help you prepare for your first couples therapy session:

1. Identify Your Reason

Before your first appointment, it can be beneficial to identify the reasons for seeking support from a couples therapist. Some couples come in due to frequent conflicts, communication issues, or changes in their relationship dynamics. Others may pursue therapy to maintain a strong relationship or to address specific concerns.

2. Commit to Collaboration

Couples therapy can be a collaborative process. During your sessions, the therapist may ask questions to better understand both of you and the dynamics of your relationship. The initial sessions may include gathering information about your history, the concerns that brought you to therapy, and how each partner perceives these issues. This approach helps identify relationship patterns and find a path forward. Maintaining an open mindset before your couples therapy appointment helps you make the most of each session.

3. Set Clear Goals

Arriving at your therapy session with a clear idea of what you'd like to focus on may improve the efficiency of the process. Common goals may include improving communication, rebuilding emotional or physical intimacy, and establishing boundaries. A couples therapist may use approaches like the Gottman Method, emotionally focused therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy. These approaches are tailored to each session according to your specific goals.

4. Understand the Process

Knowing what to expect can make your first couples therapy session more productive. Come prepared to your appointment to share details about the struggles that you and your partner are facing. Being prepared to share information about yourselves helps the session progress effectively. Some sessions may focus on developing new skills, while others may delve into deeper emotions or long-standing patterns in your relationship. Your couples therapist will adjust the structure of the sessions based on your specific needs. 

Work With a Couples Therapist Today

Preparing to meet with a couples therapist can help you and your partner get the most out of the time you invest in therapy. When both individuals enter with clarity and openness, your therapist can better understand where to start and how to tailor sessions to your needs.

At Better Being Group, we support couples at every stage of their relationship, offering marriage counseling and couples therapy designed to strengthen communication and connection. We provide online therapy in 42 states — including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Colorado — and also offer in-person sessions at our Bryn Mawr, PA office for those near Philadelphia.

If you’re ready to make positive changes in your relationship, contact Better Being Group today to schedule your first couples therapy appointment.