According to the American Psychological Association, roughly 50% of marriages end in divorce. However, this doesn’t have to be the case and the trend may even be reversing course. Whether it’s due to time constraints or various myths associated with marriage counseling, many unhappy couples do not seek out therapy to help save their relationships. But with the emergence of online marriage counseling, more couples have been able to work through the issues in a more efficient and discreet environment. The following table compares the top online marriage counseling services today. All of them connect you with licensed therapists with experience and training in marriage counseling, but they differ in the various features they offer. Choosing a therapy provider is an important decision, so make sure you pick the best online marriage counseling website for your needs.
| Avg Weekly Cost | Therapists | Features | Rating | Learn More | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Pick  | $65 average weekly cost | 5,000 |
| 9.6 | Visit BetterHelp |
#2  | Best for Couples Therapy $65 average weekly cost | 1,000 |
| 9.1 | Visit ReGain Counseling |
#3  | $90 average weekly cost | 235 |
| 8.9 | Visit Presto Experts |
#4  | $99 average weekly cost | 3,000 |
| 8.5 | Visit Talkspace |
#5  | $99 average weekly cost | 1,000 |
| 8.4 | Visit Breakthrough |
- All therapists are licensed and experienced
- Therapy by phone, chat, video and message board
- Mobile App
- HIPAA compliant
Betterhelp is widely respected for helping millions of individuals overcome various mental health issues. By sheer size alone, they are the largest counseling service online – both in terms of people serviced and the total number of therapists they work with. With Betterhelp, you have access to thousands of licensed professionals, many of whom are also marriage counselors and relationship experts. In addition to this, some couples who experience any form of negativity in their relationship also suffer from other issues such as depression, anger, anxiety, etc. The therapists that work on the Betterhelp network are able to assist couples or individuals who need help with their marriage, while also taking care of their personal difficulties. Furthermore, their attractive pricing and unlimited counseling plans make them a great choice. These are just a few of many reasons why people have chosen Betterhelp for their relationship therapy needs.
- Specializes in relationship counseling
- Therapy by phone, chat, video and message board
- All therapists are licensed and experienced
On the surface, Regain may look like any other online therapy service. But, don’t underestimate this up and coming marriage counseling platform. Whereas every other major counseling service just offers relationship help as one of their areas of expertise, Regain goes the extra mile. Relationships are their specialty. In fact, it’s the only thing they focus on. Instead of having to browse through thousands of therapists on other platforms, you can feel 100% confident that you will be paired with the right licensed therapist to help repair your relationship. Additionally, what’s great about Regain is that though the therapists’ primary focus is on helping you rebuild your relationship, they can help alleviate other mental health concerns such as stress or coping with grief. So if you are truly serious about improving the health of your relationship or marriage with professional support from licensed online marriage counselors, Regain is the place to go.
- 2,000 Licensed Therapists
- 500,000 Users
- Best In Class Privacy
- Lowest Priced Service
Presto Experts offers over 1,000 licensed therapists who provide counseling within a range of specialties. There are no shortage of relationship and marriage experts here. Furthermore, you are given a short trial session through Presto Experts to see if online marriage counseling is really for you. This is a deciding factor for many people. However, be prepared to pay a slight premium for this service.
- All therapists are licensed and background-checked
- Therapy by chat, video and audio message
- HIPAA compliant
- User friendly
Talkspace makes it very easy to use their service. In fact, that is one of their standout features, making them a top therapy destination. They also have a few hundred therapists who specialize in online marriage counseling, though they do not only focus on this. If you’re also battling depression, stress, anxiety or virtually any other mental health disorder, Talkspace therapists can help with that as well. With three cheap plans to choose from, Talkspace is a great choice for relationship counseling.
- Video and chat sessions
- Easy to use appointment scheduler
- HIPAA compliant
Breakthrough is another great option for marriage counseling online. They have a phenomenal scheduling system – the best in the industry. They are owned by MDLive, a large medical company, which provides some comfort to people who are new to online marriage counseling. They also work with most major insurances, unlike virtually every other online counseling provider. Like Presto Experts, they may be a bit pricey, but the value justifies that price.
As society has trained us to turn to the Internet for shopping, socializing, dating and so much more, it was just a matter of time before we sought the convenience of the Internet when it comes to therapy. Online therapy has entered into people’s lives as a new approach to seeking guidance from a mental health professional. In addition to the obvious benefits inherent in all Internet services, including a lower price and more convenience, there are several other reasons why people have started receiving counseling online. The most obvious reason being that more than 50% of the United States does not have access to professional therapy. That is, most counties do not employ even a single psychologist. There was a massive necessity that needed to be filled.
While therapy online seems to be alleviating some of the problems the world is facing regarding mental health deterioration, there is one area that is suffering on the same scale as individuals: marriages and relationships. Unhealthy or troubled marriages are overwhelmingly not receiving the necessary help they need. This is nothing short of a tragedy as help is right at their fingertips with online marriage counseling.
What is Online Marriage Counseling?
Online marital counseling, sometimes referred to as couples counseling or relationship counseling, is exactly what its name suggests. It’s the modern-age version of marriage counseling, enabling two people in a relationship to seek professional therapy services online, via live chat, video conferencing, phone call or messaging. Aside from being less expensive than in-person marriage counseling, it comes with additional benefits that are unique to digital services. First, sessions can be conducted from anywhere, rather than forcing the couple to coordinate their busy schedules and meet at a specific location that suits them both. Next, if the couple finds that their marriage counselor is not a good fit, they can request a new therapist with the click of a button. Compared with the logistical headache of switching an in-person therapist, this feature is a major benefit. Lastly, it allows the couple to engage in an ongoing dialogue with their therapist throughout the day in real-time. If you are looking to save your marriage, rekindle your love, or just work out some relationship issues, online marriage counseling may be an effective solution.
So…Why Hasn’t Online Marriage Counseling Taken Off?
It’s true, online therapy for individuals has seen explosive growth, with some providers becoming household brands. If online marriage counseling is virtually the same thing, why haven’t couples flocked to this more affordable and convenient form of marriage counseling?
Unfortunately, there are several reasons for this, many of which overlap with the myths regarding counseling for individuals. Let’s explore some of the myths associated with online marriage counseling and see if they hold any weight.
Online Couples Counseling Myths
- “Couples counseling will take years.” False. Most couples going through online marriage counseling attend for only a short period of time. It is said that most couples use online marriage counseling for only 8-12 weeks. After all, time is of the essence and you want to get somewhere, without letting problems drag on. With online marriage counseling, many of the therapists use new techniques to create a more efficient therapy session. This means getting to the bottom of the issues quicker, so you can start enjoying and creating a healthier and exciting relationship.
- “My partner won’t show up so therapy won’t work.” Mostly false. For starters, there is a common misconception that it takes two people in the marriage to show up to the counseling session. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, most online marriage counseling sessions start with only one partner involved. And, in many ways, this is more beneficial than starting out with both people in the relationship. For example, imagine you have decided to sign up for online marriage counseling without your partner. After a few weeks, you personally notice a change in your attitude. This change will also be noticeable to your partner and that can be a massive asset in getting your partner to open up in a therapy session as well.
- “Marriage counseling simply won’t work.” False. There is no one-size-fits-all guide to it, but the reality is there could be. Online marital counseling comes with many misconceptions, but the most dominant one isn’t a problem with the service, but rather the individual (or couple). Try hard not to come into it with the mindset that it won’t work. Remember, this has worked for tens of thousands of couples; there’s no reason why you cannot benefit from it either. It can work, you just need to give it a chance.
- “The therapist instinctively and subconsciously takes sides.” Emphatically false. The counselor is here to help your relationship, and only that. There is no judgment. No blaming. No lecturing. You will experience none of this from the therapist. In the exercises, your therapist will work with you and/or your partner on bettering issues like communication, consideration and thoughtfulness, compassion, connection, etc. All of this helps to drastically improve your marriage or relationship, and does not benefit one partner over the other.
- “It’s way too inconvenient.” False. In fact, very false especially compared to traditional “in office” counseling. Have a computer or mobile device with an internet connection? You’re good to go. Connect anytime, anywhere with your therapist. In fact, you could be in the bedroom on your tablet while your partner is on his/her mobile device on the couch or in the kitchen. Or, you could simply connect yourself, without your partner. Online marriage counseling is extremely convenient.
- “I can’t afford therapy.” Mostly false. Often times, you will see traditional in-office therapy sessions range anywhere from $150 to $400, per session! Even with co-pay, it’s not a service that’s attainable to the masses. With online marriage counseling, it’s a completely different story. You can find services that charge as little as $65 per week for unlimited counseling. And the best part? You can cancel your subscription at any time, free of charge.
- “This is just a fancy name for ‘marriage coaching’.” False. This is not coaching at all. The counseling sessions are conducted by licensed and trained counselors, all of whom have the required expertise and certifications to conduct therapy sessions over a broad range of topics. Coaches, on the other hand, only come with a certain level of expertise in very limited areas.
The above debunked myths are unfortunately what many couples tend to focus on, instead of looking towards the positives of online marriage counseling, and there are many. So let’s take a more detailed look at some of these.
Benefits of Online Couples Counseling
- Scheduling. This benefit is multi-faceted. For starters, in today’s day and age, we are always on the go. Our work is extremely demanding, much more than generations of the past. Other issues frequently arise such as traffic and finding a sitter for the kids. Do you even have time to set an in-office therapy appointment, let alone show up to it? Yeah, good luck with that. With online couples counseling, scheduling is a thing of the past. You can connect with your therapist whenever you’d like. Yes, the answers may not always be instantaneous but the therapists go over and beyond to reply as soon as possible. Furthermore, imagine if both you and your partner will be attending the therapy session(s). You are having a hard enough time scheduling your own in-office appointment. Now they want you to somehow work it out with your partner, who has his/her own schedule? That’s what’s called mission impossible. With an online service, this eliminates the scheduling problem altogether.
- Better emotional intimacy. When’s the last time you saw someone in tears walking out of their therapist’s office? Anyone? Bueller? Yeah, that’s because it doesn’t happen. People have become so conscious about not wanting to show their emotions to strangers that they keep a ‘dead look’ on their faces when they walk out. With online couples counseling, you will be opening up from a private space, perhaps your home (or anywhere else) where you feel comfortable. This sense of relaxation enables couples to be more emotionally intimate, and also helps to create a better and more natural interaction in the therapy session(s).
- More consistent. Here’s a scenario that plays out all too often in many marriages and relationships. One partner is offended by what the other said, thereby causing this partner to react with anger. The initial partner then lashes out back at the other. All this does is create a cycle of negativity. With in-office therapy, and in conjunction with the constraints of daily life and cost per therapy session, most couples will only see their in-office therapist on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The cycle of negativity mentioned above requires far more attention than bi-monthly meetings. With couples counseling, consistency is key and that’s exactly what you get with an online counseling service. You can have weekly, bi-weekly, or even daily sessions with your therapist, thus helping to keep the ideas and techniques fresh in your mind. This will minimize, or completely stop, the cycle of negativity between you and your partner.
- Effectivity. The obstacles of traditional therapy are now a thing of the past. With online couples counseling, you and/or your partner have the ability to be as consistent as ever, which leads to a far more effective counseling experience.
Couples Counseling Reviews
Now that you understand the benefits of online couples counseling and the common myths associated with it, your next step should be to conduct as much research as possible. As mentioned above, there is no “one size fits all.” That’s right – even a top-ranking counseling service may not be right for your specific needs. What complicates matters even more is that thousands of people carry out their own research, only to make an ill-advised decision. This is because no matter how much research you conduct alone, it pales in comparison to a wealth of information contributed by hundreds of individuals. Therefore, it’s imperative to not only read expert reviews, but also what other customers have to say about their experiences with the respective couples counseling services that they used. It is important to note that this doesn’t guarantee success. Unfortunately, nothing does. However, you can greatly reduce your exposure to a service that may not be right for you by conducting your due diligence (e.g. reading user reviews) prior to signing up for a service. In today’s day and age, reading reviews is a necessity. When it comes to your relationship, you shouldn’t take any shortcuts. Follow the steps and you’ll be on your way to living a better, happier life.