Couples therapy includes a range of techniques and types of therapy, depending on what the couple is comfortable with and needs, and the therapist they’re working with. While they all share the same goal of strengthening a relationship, some types of therapy have more specific aims that are more relevant to the specific personal goals of a couple.
Learning about the types of couples therapy can help empower two people to choose the therapist best for them, knowing more about what counseling techniques and approaches a therapist has expertise in.
Types of Couples Therapy
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Sometimes abbreviated as EFCT, this is an effective couples counseling technique that identifies destructive patterns in a relationship. These patterns can interfere with connecting to a partner, and attachments, and prevent two people from bonding. With this therapy, the focus is on those patterns and behaviors that create a disconnect and then bond in a more positive way.This is a particularly useful technique for couples dealing with an affair or betrayal of trust. Remember, not all betrayals involve an outside sexual partner. EFCT enables couples to heal from these injuries and repair their relationship, moving forward in a positive and loving way from the event.
Gottman Method
This therapy method focuses on communication and understanding, especially during conflicts. The Gottman method aims to give couples specific problem-solving skills that enhance friendship and intimacy. Therapists will give homework by way of take-home training materials, and adapt the method’s traditional live workshops to private settings in the therapist’s office.
Psychodynamic Couples Therapy
Using psychotherapy, this counseling approach aims to uncover and understand the underlying dynamics built from early childhood experiences and unresolved conflict. By knowing these unconscious forces and emotional history, the therapist helps provide couples with insights into their emotional patterns and how they impact the relationship.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Also known as cognitive behavioral couples therapy (CBCT), this is a cognitive-behavioral approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. The techniques involved help couples develop skills that improve communication, increase relationship satisfaction, and solve problems more effectively. It’s a particularly useful method for anger management, financial disputes, or couples recovering from infidelity.
Imago Relationship Therapy
Imago therapy focuses on identifying childhood experiences that impact adult relationships, such as the reason for commitment issues or relationship anxiety. By extensively exploring childhood trauma, couples can become more empathetic and understand each other better while each person can process these experiences more consciously.
Narrative Therapy
Rather than an approach, narrative therapy is a very specific technique used in counseling. Both partners describe their relationship problems in a narrative form and then are encouraged to rewrite their stories to help them see that one single story on its own can’t truly represent their entire experience together. This is especially effective for people who believe they deserve relationship failures and are the reason it is failing.
Solution-focused Therapy
This therapy method is best for couples who have a specific issue or problem they want to work on, such as a short-term goal. The therapy encourages both people to find solutions to specific problems or weather life transitions that have come with negative behaviors or conflicts.
Reflective Listening
This is a specific type of couples therapy that benefits partners who want to work more on their communication skills. Each person in the relationship takes a turn being an active listener, giving the other partner an opportunity to speak freely and engage in communication exercises. This type of therapy focuses on content exchanged rather than winning a conversation, as this is a trap many couples can fall into and disrupt their connection.
Meet San Diego Relationship Therapists: Experts in Couples
There are many other techniques and methods used in couples counseling in San Diego, all of them focused on specific problems or with certain goals in mind. When looking for a therapist, it’s a good idea to learn what methods and techniques they use, where their expertise lies, and if that is the type of therapy you’re looking for.
We work with many couples of all marital statuses, genders, and sexualities, as well as monogamous or consensually non-monogamous individuals in Oceanside or Mission Valley San Diego, CA.
Connect with our Care Coordinator with a free 10-minute matching call and let’s take the first step toward gaining the tools to put your relationship on the track you want and deserve.
