Couples counseling involves discussion and problem-solving sessions facilitated by a therapist. At times it may include both partners and sometimes with individuals. This type of therapy can help couples improve their understanding of each other and, the way that they respond to one another. It may also resolve patterns of behavior that might lead to more severe mental illness.
Examples of an appropriate referral for couples counseling would be: a 25 year old woman who was sexually abused as a child who is having difficulty being intimate with her new husband, and a 35 year old going through a divorce.
