Couples Counseling Chicago FAQs

We understand that reaching out for couples therapy or marriage counseling can bring up a lot of questions. Below, you’ll find answers to common questions about scheduling, insurance, online therapy, our Lakeview office, relationship concerns, and what to expect from the therapy process.

If you do not see your question here, please contact us. We are happy to help you understand your options and decide whether Couples Counseling Chicago may be a good fit.

Getting Started with Couples Therapy

How do I schedule an appointment?

You can schedule an appointment by calling us at 773.598.7797 or by completing our confidential contact form. We will ask a few basic questions about what brings you to therapy, your schedule, and the kind of support you are looking for so we can help match you with an appropriate therapist.

What happens in the first session?

The first session is focused on understanding your relationship, your concerns, and your goals for therapy. Your therapist may ask about your relationship history, current challenges, communication patterns, areas of conflict, and what each partner hopes will change. This first appointment is also a chance for you to ask questions and get a feel for whether the therapist is a good fit.

How long are therapy sessions?

Standard couples therapy sessions are usually about 50 to 55 minutes. Some therapists may offer longer sessions or intensive options depending on availability, clinical fit, and the needs of the couple.

How many sessions will we need?

Every couple is different. Some couples notice meaningful progress within a few months, while others benefit from longer-term work. The number of sessions depends on your goals, the complexity of the issues, and how much practice happens between appointments.

When Your Partner Will Not Attend

Can I come to couples therapy alone?

Yes. We offer couples therapy for one, which is individual therapy focused on your relationship. This can be helpful when your partner is unwilling, unavailable, or not ready to participate.

Will couples therapy work if my partner refuses to attend?

It can still be helpful. When one person changes how they communicate, set boundaries, respond to conflict, or manage emotional reactions, the relationship dynamic may begin to shift. Couples therapy for one can also help you gain clarity about what is realistic, what you need, and how you want to move forward.

What is the difference between individual therapy and couples therapy for one?

In couples therapy for one, the focus stays on your relationship patterns rather than broader individual concerns. You may work on communication, boundaries, conflict, decision-making, emotional reactions, attachment patterns, or how to approach difficult conversations with your partner.

How do I get my partner to agree to come to therapy?

Pressure and ultimatums often create defensiveness. Therapy can help you think through how to invite your partner into the process in a way that is honest, non-threatening, and focused on the relationship rather than blame. In some cases, starting therapy on your own can help create changes that make your partner more open to participating later.

Cost, Insurance, and Payment

How much does couples therapy cost?

Fees vary depending on the therapist and type of service. Please visit our fees page for current pricing information. We are happy to discuss fees and payment options when you contact us.

Do you accept insurance?

Couples Counseling Chicago is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO. Coverage varies by plan, diagnosis, clinical circumstances, and the type of service provided. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to verify your mental health benefits, telehealth benefits, copays, deductibles, and any requirements that may apply.

What if I do not have BCBS PPO insurance?

Clients who do not use BCBS PPO may pay out of pocket. Some clients with other insurance plans choose to use out-of-network benefits and submit claims directly to their insurance company for possible reimbursement.

Do you accept Medicaid or Medicare?

We do not currently accept Medicaid, Medicare, or public aid insurance plans. If cost is a concern, please contact us and we can discuss current options.

Types of Therapy and Specializations

Do you work with LGBTQ+ couples?

Yes. Couples Counseling Chicago is an LGBTQ+ affirming practice. Several of our therapists have experience working with LGBTQ+ clients, couples, and relationship structures. We welcome gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, nonbinary, and gender-expansive clients and relationships.

Learn more about our LGBTQ+ couples therapy services. We also serve clients from neighborhoods including Andersonville and Lakeview.

Do you offer premarital counseling?

Yes. Premarital counseling can help engaged couples talk through communication, conflict, finances, sex and intimacy, family boundaries, children, values, and long-term expectations before marriage.

We work with premarital couples across Chicago, including many clients from the West Loop, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Can you help with infidelity and affairs?

Yes. Infidelity counseling and affair recovery can help couples process betrayal, understand what happened, rebuild trust when possible, and decide whether to stay together or separate.

Do you offer sex therapy or intimacy counseling?

Yes. We offer sex and intimacy therapy for couples experiencing sexual concerns, desire differences, avoidance, emotional distance, shame, communication problems, or disconnection around physical intimacy.

Can you help us decide whether to stay together or break up?

Yes. Discernment counseling and divorce counseling can help couples who are uncertain about the future of the relationship. This work is focused on clarity, not pressure. The goal is to help you understand whether to work on the relationship, separate, or divorce.

Online and In-Person Options

Do you offer online couples therapy?

Yes. We offer online couples counseling throughout Illinois through a secure video platform. Online sessions can be effective for many couples and may offer greater flexibility for busy schedules, childcare, commuting, privacy needs, or partners who prefer meeting from home.

Where is your office located?

Our office is located at 655 W. Irving Park Road, Suite 203, Chicago, IL 60613 in the Lakeview neighborhood. We are accessible from Lincoln Park, Uptown, Wrigleyville, Buena Park, West Loop, Streeterville, Roscoe Village, Andersonville, and other Chicago neighborhoods.

For details about visiting the office, see our location and directions page.

What are your office hours?

We offer appointments Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We are closed on Sundays. Evening and weekend appointment availability varies by therapist.

About the Therapy Process

Is couples therapy confidential?

Yes. Therapy is confidential, with limited exceptions required by law, such as imminent danger to self or others, suspected child abuse, or other legally mandated safety concerns. Your therapist will review confidentiality with you during the therapy process.

What if we have tried couples therapy before and it did not work?

Not every therapist or approach is the same. Some couples have a better experience when the therapeutic style, structure, or therapist fit changes. If you have tried therapy before, we encourage you to tell us what worked, what did not work, and what you hope will be different this time.

What therapy approaches do you use?

Our therapists may draw from evidence-based and clinically informed approaches such as Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Imago Relationship Therapy, attachment-based work, and other relationship-focused methods. The approach depends on the therapist, the couple, and the goals of treatment.

Do you meet with us together or separately?

Couples therapy usually involves meeting with both partners together. In some cases, a therapist may recommend brief individual meetings as part of the assessment or treatment process. The structure depends on the couple’s needs, clinical concerns, and the therapist’s approach.

Will you take sides or tell us to break up?

No. The therapist’s role is not to take sides or decide the future of your relationship for you. Therapy is designed to help you understand patterns, communicate more clearly, repair where possible, and make thoughtful decisions about what comes next.

What if one of us does not want to be there?

It is common for one partner to feel more hesitant about therapy than the other. A good couples therapist works to create a balanced space where both partners can feel heard. Often, reluctant partners become more open once they experience therapy as a structured conversation rather than a blame session.

Specific Relationship Situations

Can you help with communication problems?

Yes. Communication problems are one of the most common reasons couples seek therapy. We help couples identify negative cycles, express needs more clearly, listen with more intention, and reduce escalation during difficult conversations.

We are not married. Can we still come to couples therapy?

Yes. You do not need to be married to benefit from couples therapy. We work with couples who are dating, engaged, cohabitating, married, separated, or in other committed relationship structures.

What if we argue a lot during sessions?

Arguments in session can give the therapist important information about your real communication patterns. Your therapist can help slow the process down, identify what is happening, and teach you how to disagree in a more constructive way.

Can therapy help if we feel more like roommates than partners?

Yes. Many couples seek therapy because they feel emotionally disconnected, sexually distant, or more like roommates than romantic partners. Therapy can help you understand how the distance developed and what may help rebuild connection.

Is it too late for couples therapy?

It is rarely too late to seek clarity and support. However, earlier help is often better. Couples therapy may help partners repair, reconnect, communicate more honestly, or make a clearer decision about whether the relationship can continue.

Getting the Most from Therapy

How can we make therapy more effective?

Couples often get more out of therapy when they attend consistently, practice new skills between sessions, stay open to feedback, communicate honestly with the therapist, and remain willing to look at their own patterns rather than focusing only on what their partner needs to change.

• Attend sessions consistently.
• Practice skills or exercises between appointments.
• Be open to looking at your own behavior.
• Use therapy as a place for honest but respectful communication.
• Give the process time. Meaningful change usually takes practice.

What if I am not sure therapy will help?

That is a normal concern. Many people feel unsure before starting couples therapy, especially if they have felt stuck for a long time. A few sessions can help you better understand the process, the therapist’s style, and whether the work feels useful.

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