Questions to Ask Before Couples Counseling

By Daniel Kotsias, LMSW

Partners can arrive at counseling with different hopes. Before starting, it may help each of you to write down what you want to understand or change. You do not have to agree on every issue to prepare questions for a therapist.

Ask about the therapist's experience, how an initial assessment works and how the therapist helps establish shared goals. Discuss how privacy is handled, whether individual meetings are part of the process and what the payment arrangements are.

The Gottman Method includes an assessment that informs the therapy plan. That description does not establish a particular clinic's appointment sequence or a clinician's certification. The Gottman Institute explains the method.

Useful consultation questions include: What approaches do you use? How will you determine whether joint sessions are suitable? How do we review progress? What should we expect to pay? A therapist can discuss your circumstances and whether this form of care is an appropriate fit.

The Clarity Clinic's couples counseling page describes its approach. Contact the clinic to ask about current availability and fees rather than assuming coverage or a particular treatment schedule.