Couples Therapy In Chicago, IL

Expert Couples Therapy Helping Chicago Partners Reconnect and Thrive

Feeling stuck in the same arguments? Struggling to communicate? You’re not alone. At Couples Counseling Chicago, we help partners rebuild connection, resolve conflict, and create the thriving relationship you both deserve. Meet with us in our comfortable Lakeview office or connect virtually from anywhere in Illinois—whichever works best for your schedule.

With over 20 years of experience supporting Chicago couples, we provide compassionate, evidence-based therapy that creates real, lasting change.

Flexible Therapy Options: Choose What Works for You

In-Person Therapy in Lakeview

Meet with your couples therapist at our comfortable North Side Chicago office, conveniently located in Lakeview with easy access from Lincoln Park, Boystown, Roscoe Village, North Center, and surrounding neighborhoods. Street parking available, close to CTA.

Virtual Couples Therapy Throughout Illinois

Can’t make it to our office? Our secure, HIPAA-compliant online therapy sessions let you connect with your therapist from the comfort of your home. Virtual therapy offers the same expert care with added convenience—perfect for busy schedules, couples with long commutes, or those who simply prefer the privacy of home sessions.

Both formats offer the same high-quality care, evidence-based approaches, and expert guidance from our experienced Chicago couples therapists.

Why Chicago Couples Choose Our Therapy Services

Seeking couples therapy isn’t a sign your relationship is failing—it’s a sign you’re committed to making it stronger. Whether you’re dealing with communication breakdowns, trust issues, intimacy concerns, or simply feeling disconnected, our experienced therapists provide a safe, judgment-free space to work through challenges together.

Our approach is different: We don’t assume something is fundamentally broken in your relationship. Instead, we start by recognizing what’s working well and build from there, using proven therapeutic methods to help you develop the skills and understanding needed to move forward together.

When Should You Consider Couples Therapy?

You don’t need to wait until your relationship is in crisis. Many Chicago couples benefit from therapy as a proactive way to strengthen their partnership. Research shows that couples who seek help within three months of recognizing persistent problems have better outcomes than those who wait.

Consider reaching out if you’re experiencing:

Communication & Conflict Issues:

• Repetitive arguments that go nowhere or keep resurfacing over the same topics
• Communication breakdowns where one or both partners feel unheard
• Conversations that quickly escalate into fights
• The silent treatment or emotional withdrawal during disagreements
• Difficulty expressing needs without triggering defensiveness

Emotional Connection Problems:

• Feeling more like roommates than romantic partners
• Emotional distance or sense of drifting apart
• Loss of affection, warmth, or playfulness together
• Decreased intimacy or sexual connection
• Feeling lonely even when you’re together

Trust & Relationship Challenges:

• Trust issues or recovering from infidelity or emotional affairs
• Resentment or anger that’s building over time
• One or both partners feeling taken for granted
• Persistent feelings of dissatisfaction in the relationship
• Different visions for the future causing tension

Life Transitions & External Stressors:

• Becoming parents or navigating parenting challenges
• Career changes, job stress, or work-life balance issues
• Financial disagreements or economic pressures
• Relocation, empty nest, or retirement transitions
• Blending families or co-parenting conflicts

Relationship Crossroads:

• Considering separation but want to explore all options first
• Engaged couples wanting to build a strong foundation before marriage
• Couples who want “relationship tune-ups” to maintain a healthy partnership

If relationship problems have persisted for three months or longer, even a brief consultation can set you on a better course.

Our Approach to Couples Therapy in Chicago

Evidence-Based Therapeutic Methods

Our Chicago couples therapists are trained in proven, research-backed approaches that have helped thousands of couples create lasting change:

The Gottman Method
Based on 40+ years of research on what makes relationships succeed, this approach helps couples build friendship, manage conflict effectively, and create shared meaning. We teach you the skills that research shows are essential for long-term relationship success.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Helps partners reconnect emotionally and create secure attachment. EFT focuses on identifying negative interaction patterns and building new ways of responding that foster closeness and trust.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Couples
Identifies and changes negative thought patterns affecting your relationship. CBT helps couples recognize how beliefs and assumptions impact communication and create practical strategies for change.

Solution-Focused Therapy
A practical, goal-oriented approach that focuses on your strengths and creates rapid positive change. Instead of dwelling on problems, we help you envision and build the relationship you want.

Psychodynamic Couples Therapy
Explores deeper patterns and past experiences influencing your current relationship. Understanding how family-of-origin experiences shape your expectations can create profound insights and healing.

Our Therapeutic Style: Gentle, Conversational, Interactive

Our approach isn’t formal or clinical—it’s warm, down-to-earth, and interactive. We encourage emotional sharing as a pathway to healing and growth. You’ll find our sessions both supportive and practical, with concrete skills you can use immediately in your daily life together.

We create a safe space where both partners can:

• Express themselves honestly without judgment
• Feel truly heard and understood
• Take emotional risks necessary for growth
• Practice new communication skills in real-time
• Explore vulnerable feelings that often get buried

Strength-Based Focus

There was a reason you fell in love in the first place. We help you reconnect with those strengths while addressing the patterns that have created distance or conflict. Every couple has strengths—we help you leverage them while building new skills where needed.

We start from the premise that recognizing you need support is itself a strength. It shows commitment, self-awareness, and willingness to grow—all essential ingredients for positive change.

What You’ll Gain from Couples Therapy

Through couples therapy at our Chicago practice, partners learn practical skills that create lasting change:

Communication Skills:

• Express needs and concerns clearly without triggering defensiveness
• Listen actively so your partner truly feels heard and understood
• Have difficult conversations without them escalating into destructive fights
• Share appreciation and positive feelings more regularly
• Ask for what you need in ways that invite connection

Conflict Resolution:

• Resolve disagreements constructively instead of letting arguments damage your bond
• Break negative cycles that keep you stuck in the same patterns
• Manage hot-button topics without losing emotional control
• Recognize warning signs before conflicts escalate
• Repair effectively after disagreements

Emotional Connection:

• Rebuild trust and emotional safety after breaches or betrayals
• Rekindle intimacy and bring passion back into your relationship
• Create vulnerability and deeper emotional sharing
• Understand each other’s emotional needs and attachment styles
• Build friendship and fondness for one another

Partnership Skills:

• Navigate major life transitions as a united team
• Create shared meaning and vision for your future together
• Support each other’s individual growth while maintaining connection
• Balance autonomy and togetherness in healthy ways
• Prevent minor issues from becoming major problems

Specialized Areas We Address

Communication Breakdowns & High Conflict

If your arguments are frequent, intense, or leave both partners feeling hurt and exhausted, we can help you find new ways to communicate. Learn to express frustration, disappointment, or needs in ways that bring you closer rather than pushing you apart. We teach you how to de-escalate conflicts, listen without defensiveness, and have productive conversations about difficult topics.

Trust Issues & Infidelity Recovery

Healing from betrayal is one of the most difficult challenges couples face, but it is possible with the right support. We guide couples through the difficult process of rebuilding trust, processing pain, understanding what led to the breach, and creating a path forward—whether that means staying together with renewed commitment or separating respectfully. Our approach addresses both the immediate crisis and the underlying relationship patterns.

Intimacy & Sexual Connection

When physical or emotional intimacy has faded, it affects every aspect of your relationship. We help couples explore what’s blocking closeness—whether that’s unresolved resentment, mismatched desires, past trauma, performance anxiety, or simply the demands of busy lives. We create a safe space to discuss vulnerable topics and develop strategies to reconnect on multiple levels.

Parenting Stress & Family Transitions

Becoming parents or navigating parenting challenges can strain even strong relationships. We help couples maintain their partnership while managing the demands of family life. Topics include dividing parenting responsibilities fairly, maintaining intimacy amid parenting demands, aligning on parenting philosophies, managing conflict about discipline or schedules, and supporting each other through the identity shifts of parenthood.

Life Transitions & Major Stressors

Major life changes—career shifts, relocation, health challenges, caring for aging parents, empty nest, retirement—create stress that impacts relationships. We help couples navigate transitions as a team, adapting to new realities while maintaining connection. Learn to support each other through change rather than growing apart during stressful times.

Premarital Counseling

Engaged couples benefit from building strong communication and conflict resolution skills before marriage. We help you discuss expectations, values, finances, family planning, and potential challenges so you start your marriage on solid ground. Premarital counseling isn’t about finding problems—it’s about building skills that will serve you throughout your marriage.

LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy

We welcome all couples regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationship structure. Our therapists understand the unique challenges LGBTQ+ couples may face—from navigating family acceptance to addressing minority stress—and provide affirming, knowledgeable support. All identities and relationship configurations are respected here. LGBTQ+ affirming couples therapy.

Relationship Decision-Making

Not sure if you should stay together or separate? We provide a supportive space to explore this question honestly. Sometimes couples therapy helps partners reconnect and recommit. Other times, it helps couples gain clarity about separating and, if that’s the decision, do so with respect and minimal harm.

What to Expect in Couples Therapy

Your First Session

Getting started is easier than you think. Here’s what the process looks like:

1. Contact us – Reach out through our contact page. Let us know if you prefer in-person sessions in our Lakeview office or virtual therapy.

2. Initial Assessment – During your first 50-minute session, your therapist will take time to understand:

• Your relationship history and how you met
• Current concerns and what brought you to therapy now
• What you’ve already tried to address these issues
• Your goals for therapy and what success would look like
• Individual backgrounds that may influence your relationship

3. Collaborative Treatment Planning – Together, we’ll create a plan that makes sense for your specific situation. We’ll discuss how often to meet (usually weekly to start), what approaches might be most helpful, and how we’ll measure progress.

4. Begin Building Skills – You won’t spend months just talking about problems. From the first session, you’ll start learning practical techniques you can use immediately—better listening skills, ways to express needs, strategies for managing conflict, and tools for rebuilding connection.

Ongoing Sessions

Sessions typically last 50-55 minutes. Most couples start with weekly sessions to build momentum and practice new skills. As you gain confidence and see progress, you may space sessions out to every other week or monthly.

Both partners are encouraged to attend, but therapy can still be valuable if one partner is hesitant or unable to come initially. We’ve found that when one person begins making positive changes, it often impacts the relationship dynamics and may encourage the other partner to participate later.

Between sessions, we may ask you to practice specific skills, notice particular patterns, or complete brief exercises. These “homework” assignments help integrate what you’re learning into daily life.

Measuring Progress

We’ll regularly check in about how therapy is working for you. Some couples see significant improvement in 8-12 sessions, while others work with us for several months, especially when addressing deeper issues like infidelity recovery or long-standing patterns. We adjust our approach based on what’s working and what needs to shift.

Many couples also return for periodic “tune-ups” after completing initial therapy—brief sessions to address new challenges or maintain the positive changes they’ve made.

Frequently Asked Questions About Couples Therapy in Chicago

How long does couples therapy take?

This varies based on your specific concerns and goals. Some couples addressing specific issues (like improving communication or preparing for marriage) see significant improvement in 8-12 sessions. Couples working through deeper challenges like infidelity recovery or long-standing resentment may work with us for several months. We’ll regularly assess progress together and adjust as needed. There’s no predetermined length—we work until you feel confident managing your relationship challenges.

Do both partners need to attend every session?

While couples therapy works best when both partners attend consistently, we understand that scheduling conflicts happen and sometimes one partner is more hesitant than the other. If your partner isn’t ready to come, starting individually can still create positive shifts in your relationship dynamic. As your partner sees changes, they often become more open to joining. Occasionally, individual sessions for one or both partners can be helpful even in ongoing couples therapy.

What if my partner doesn’t want to come to therapy?

This is very common and doesn’t mean therapy can’t help. We can work with the willing partner individually, focusing on relationship dynamics and how changes in one person’s behavior affect the system. Often, as your partner sees positive changes in you and the relationship, their resistance decreases. We can also help you have conversations with your partner about why therapy feels important to you.

Do we need to be married to benefit from couples therapy?

Absolutely not. We work with couples at all stages—dating, engaged, married, long-term partnerships, or considering separation. If you’re in a committed relationship facing challenges, couples therapy can help. The skills we teach apply regardless of your formal relationship status.

Will the therapist take sides?

No. Our Chicago couples therapists remain neutral and work to understand both perspectives fully. We’re not here to determine who’s right or wrong—we’re here to help you both communicate better, understand each other more deeply, and strengthen your relationship. We advocate for the relationship itself, not for either individual partner.

Is everything we discuss confidential?

Yes, with few exceptions required by law (such as imminent danger to self or others, child abuse, or elder abuse). What you share in therapy stays in therapy, creating a safe space for honest, vulnerable conversations. We won’t share information with family members, friends, or others without your explicit consent. For virtual sessions, we use HIPAA-compliant, secure video platforms.

How much does couples therapy cost?

Contact us for current rates and insurance information. Session fees are the same whether you meet in person or virtually. We accept various insurance plans and can discuss payment options during your initial consultation. Many couples find that investing in their relationship through therapy is far less costly than the alternatives.

Do you accept insurance?

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Do you offer evening or weekend appointments?

Yes! We understand Chicago couples have busy schedules with demanding careers and full lives. We offer flexible appointment times including evenings to make therapy accessible. Virtual therapy also offers additional scheduling flexibility since you don’t need to factor in commute time.

How does virtual couples therapy work?

Virtual therapy sessions take place via secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing. You and your partner log in from your computer, tablet, or smartphone at your scheduled time. The experience is very similar to in-person therapy—you can see and hear your therapist clearly, and all the same therapeutic techniques apply. Many couples find virtual therapy just as effective as in-person sessions, with the added benefit of convenience and no commute.

Can we do virtual therapy if we’re not in Chicago?

Our therapists are licensed in Illinois, so we can provide virtual therapy to couples anywhere in Illinois. If you’re temporarily out of state but Illinois residents, we can discuss options. If you’re considering relocating to Chicago or the Illinois area, virtual therapy can help you work on your relationship before or during your move.

What if we’ve tried couples therapy before and it didn’t work?

Not all couples therapy is the same, and fit between therapist and couple matters tremendously. Perhaps the previous approach wasn’t right for your situation, or timing wasn’t optimal. We use evidence-based methods proven effective for couples and work collaboratively with you to ensure therapy is meeting your needs. If something isn’t working, we’ll adjust our approach or help you find a better fit.

Are you LGBTQ+ affirming?

Yes, absolutely. We welcome all couples regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationship structure. Our therapists understand the unique challenges LGBTQ+ couples may face and provide knowledgeable, affirming support. All identities and relationship configurations are respected and celebrated here.

What happens if we decide to separate during therapy?

Couples therapy can serve different purposes at different times. Sometimes it helps partners reconnect and recommit. Other times, it helps couples gain clarity that separation is the right path. If you decide to separate, we can support you through that process—helping you communicate respectfully, co-parent effectively if you have children, or navigate the separation in ways that minimize harm and preserve dignity.

Do you offer free consultations?

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Conveniently Located in Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood

In-Person Therapy Location

Couples Counseling Chicago
[Your Full Street Address]
Lakeview, Chicago, IL [Your Zip Code]
Phone: 773-598-7797

Our couples therapy office is located in Lakeview on Chicago’s North Side, easily accessible from:

• Lincoln Park – 10 minutes
• Boystown / East Lakeview – 5 minutes
• Roscoe Village – 8 minutes
• North Center – 10 minutes
• Uptown – 12 minutes
• Andersonville – 15 minutes
• Wrigleyville – 7 minutes
• Lincoln Square – 12 minutes
• West Lakeview – 5 minutes

Parking & Transit:

• Street parking available nearby
• Close to CTA [add your specific train/bus lines]
• Easily accessible from Lake Shore Drive and major North Side routes

Virtual Therapy Throughout Illinois

Can’t make it to our Lakeview office? We offer secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy sessions to couples throughout Illinois. Connect from:

• Your home in Chicago or suburbs
• Anywhere in Illinois (our therapists are Illinois-licensed)
• A private location that works for your schedule

Virtual therapy provides the same expert care with maximum convenience and flexibility.

Why Choose Couples Counseling Chicago?

Take the First Step Toward a Stronger Relationship

Don’t wait until things reach a breaking point. Chicago couples who seek therapy earlier typically see faster, more lasting results. Whether you’re dealing with a specific crisis or simply want to strengthen your connection, we’re here to help.

You have two convenient options:

📍 In-Person in Lakeview

Meet at our comfortable North Side office
655 W. Irving Park Rd Ste: 203
Chicago, IL 60613

💻 Virtual Throughout Illinois

Connect from home via secure video
Same expert care, maximum convenience

Both options offer:

• Licensed, experienced couples therapists
• Evidence-based therapeutic approaches
• Evening appointments available
• Warm, supportive environment
• Practical skills for lasting change

Additional Resources & Related Services

More About Our Couples Services:

• Marriage Counseling in Chicago – Specialized support for married couples navigating marital challenges
• Chicago Relationship Therapists – Learn more about our therapists, their backgrounds, and therapeutic approaches
• Same-Sex Couples Counseling – LGBTQ+ affirming therapy services with therapists who understand your unique needs

Helpful Tools & Articles:

• Relationship Report Card – Assess your relationship strengths and challenges before your first session
• 10 Powerful Ways to Create Intimacy in Couples – Practical strategies to rebuild connection and closeness
• Common Features of Sex Focused Therapy – When physical intimacy needs professional attention

About Our Practice

For over 20 years, Couples Counseling Chicago has been the North Side’s trusted resource for couples therapy, marriage counseling, and relationship support. Our Lakeview practice combines warmth and professionalism with evidence-based approaches that create real, lasting change.

We’re committed to helping Chicago couples:

• Move past the hurts that create distance
• Heal the wounds that damage trust
• Strengthen the bonds that brought you together
• Build skills that last a lifetime

Whether you choose to meet us in person or connect virtually, you’ll receive the same high-quality care from experienced therapists who genuinely care about your relationship success.

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Your relationship deserves expert support.

Schedule Your Appointment Today