Over the last few years, the popularity of online marriage counseling has been on the rise.
It is not that face-to-face counseling is that bad but rather, online counseling stands out for being very beneficial.
If anything, online counselors are as qualified as their offline counterparts.
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The good thing is that they avail their services conveniently through email, live chat, and phone services. Since there are many sites offering online counseling services, you may opt for the services of one counselor or several of them.
Given the growing popularity of online marriage counseling, it is clear that it actually works. Compared to traditional counseling, it stands out in a number of ways. The following are the top 12 benefits of online marriage counseling:
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Table of Contents
Cheaper Than Traditional Counseling
Traditional marriage counseling can be forbiddingly expensive. On average, a session with the counselor costs $200 or more. Additionally, couples have to pay for transport costs to and from the counselor’s office. Since it is ongoing, this kind of counseling can quickly deplete a couple’s savings. Fearing that they might run out of money, some couples have opted not to attend these sessions.
With online marriage counseling, some of the costs can be eliminated in their entirety. In fact, there are a number of organizations that provide online counseling services free of charge. The rest have a monthly subscription billing system which is as very affordable. Typically, the monthly fee for such services starts at $20.
Couples who opt for online counseling are also able to avoid paying transport costs to and from the counselor’s office. If anything, an online counselor can afford to offer free initial sessions. That’s because they have little or no overhead costs emanating from appointment setters, office space, and furnishings. Online counseling is not only affordable but also very effective.
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Highest Levels of Comfort
When going for a couple’s counseling session, you need to be settled both mentally and physically. The problem with the sessions in a counselor’s office is that they make you feel highly anxious. It’s mainly because of the unfamiliar setting you find yourselves in. Even so, finding time to travel to and from the clinic isn’t that easy. Along the way, you may encounter heavy traffic, unpleasant weather, and road rage.
Contrast that with the familiar setting in your living room. Since you are at home, you don’t have to worry about what you share with the counselor. In addition to dropping your defenses, you will be able to be more open about sharing your concerns. Speaking to an online marriage counselor is also less intimidating than sitting in a therapist’s office. It is also highly convenient for couples running busy schedules. You can have the marriage counselor come up with a schedule that fits perfectly into your regular routine.
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Master the skills to Build A Stronger Relationship
Services Around The Clock
Most traditional counselors arrange their sessions in single weekly sessions. Thus, you have to wait for a whole week before talking to a marriage counselor. That’s forgetting that marriage is on 24/7, and there could arise issues that need to be addressed immediately.
Obviously the solution lies in online marriage counseling, which is available around the clock. As long as you have an internet connection you can connect with one of the marriage counselors. This is regardless of the time zone in which you operate. The good thing is that you can find an online counselor who is willing to provide you with services at the most convenient time.nsider linking to these articles:
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Benefitting From Much More Than Counseling
It does not matter if it is during the day or in the middle of the night. It is still possible to get relationship tips, therapy sessions, and enjoy other features of online marriage therapy. Whether you talk to the counselor or not, you can get a lot of information on his or her website.
In addition, the counselor may put you on a regular mailing list for any new information appearing on their website. If you were dealing with a traditional counselor, you can only access some of this information through books or printed materials.
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Online Marriage Counseling Affords A High Levels of Privacy
Everyone deserves the highest levels of privacy during couples’ therapy sessions. Yet, it is impossible to have a semblance of privacy when dealing with a traditional marriage counselor. Think of a situation where you have to bump into your friends or family on your way into or out of a counseling session. If word leaks out that you are having problems in your marriage, your life will never be the same again. Obviously, people will begin to look at you differently.
Not so for online marriage counseling which is done in the privacy of your home and at the time of your choice. Since you are dealing with the counselor online, it is impossible for your family or friends to accidentally access records of your sessions. After all, these are kept under wraps in the counselor’s database.
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Access to a Wide Choice of Counselors
For you to get face-to-face couples therapy, you have to look for a counselor with a clinic right in your neighborhood. That’s so as to avoid traveling over long distances and for hours to and from the counselor’s office. Most likely, you will not have the advantage of choosing between two or three different clinics. If the available is offering not so good services, you just have to contend with it.
That’s different from online counselors who provide their services to a wide audience across the world. You could be living in America but access counseling services from a professional in the UK. Once you subscribe to their services, you will be in a position to get therapy sessions at your convenience.
Additionally, you can sign up for the services of different counselors depending on their areas of specialization. That’s obviously not possible with a traditional counselor, who could be specialized in just one area.
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Database for Tracking Progress
As soon as you sign-up for online marriage counseling, your data will be stored in a database of clients. When you begin the sessions, the counselor will take note if your current situation. Over time, he or she will keep track of any progress you make.
The counselor will take note of any positive changes in the relationships before planning for the next session. These changes are also key when it comes to providing tips and recommendations for the couple. Since you have access to the counselor’s website, you can access and review the data collected by him or her on your progress. What more would you want?
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Motivation to Your Spouse
The problem with most marriages is that only one partner may be willing to seek help. Perhaps one of the partners is afraid to face the counselor and discuss personal issues. Maybe it is just an excuse to avoid participation in the sessions. Some may even claim to be too busy to have time for counseling.
The solution is to suggest online marriage counseling, which is less personal. If your partner was complaining of lack of time, then you can schedule the sessions at the most convenient times. It could be after-work or on weekends.
When the counseling is held in the comfort of your home, the atmosphere will be relaxed and your partner more cooperative. The good thing is that online counselors provide trial sessions free of charge. After trying out the therapy sessions, your spouse will see the need to work on the marriage.
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Great for Long-Distance Couples
Think of a situation where you and your partner live far apart from each other. There is no way you can attend a face-to-face counseling session. For the two of you, the best option is online marriage counseling. It doesn’t matter if you are separated after a family conflict or work-related issues.
The easiest way to resolve your relationship issues is through video conferencing. That way, you can talk and get professional help from the counselor. Through sharing, you will be able to resolve any issues in your marriage.
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Variety of Options
Couples who opt for online marriage counseling services benefit from a variety of available options. For instance, they have access to counselors of varied personalities. If you prefer a calm and collected counselor, you will definitely find him or her on an online platform.
Also, some clients may be attracted to counselors with specific therapeutic approach or counseling style. In most cases, online counselors use methods such as narrative therapy, imago, positive psychology, and the Gottman method. Before you enroll for counseling services, first find out the method preferred by the counselor.
It is also possible that you are looking for a counselor with a certain level of experience. Perhaps you want someone who has dealt with a variety of couples over the years. For that matter, you will be able to gauge a counselor’s experience by checking out their profile. Most counselors post their profiles on their respective websites.
Since online marriage counselors come in all shapes and sizes, it is also possible to find counselors with marriage experience. Such counselors have been in marriage and are likely to have successfully resolved some of their issues. If a counselor is unmarried, then he or she may not understand some of the issues affecting you. He or she could be an expert in the field but has no real life experience dealing with marital problems.
In most cases, the kind of counselor you choose to work with depends on the issues you have. You may choose a counselor depending on whether he or she specializes in fertility issues, financial challenges, intimacy issues, chronic health, or lack of communication. If you search online, you will find a therapist dealing with the exact issues facing you.
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Finding an Agreeable Counselor
One of the major problems with traditional marriage counselors is that they may end up favoring one partner over the other. Perhaps it is because it was the initiative of one of the partners to seek counseling services.
When one partner is cast in a positive light and the other vilified, the purpose of counseling is defeated. It could also be a problem of clashing personalities. While the personality of one partner jells well with that of the counselor, the spouse may feel totally out of place. It gets worse if you are living in a neighborhood with just one counselor.
Online marriage counseling makes it possible to experiment with different counselors before settling on one. The trial sessions are usually free of charge. By the time you pick the right one, you might have tried out several counselors. If your partner does not like a particular counselor, nothing prevents you from switching to a different one. It doesn’t have to be anyone in the neighborhood. That’s the beauty of online marriage counseling.
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Providing Couples and Individual Therapy
Think of a situation where you have issues each of you wants discussed by personal counselors. If you were doing traditional marriage counseling, it will be expensive working with two separate counselors.
Add to that the fact that you need a couple’s counselor and it gets complicated. Not so for the affordable online option. Each one of you can still retain an online counselor even as you have one providing couple’s counseling.
It is not only inexpensive but it is also very convenient. You can arrange to have individual counseling sessions at times convenient you individually. Later, when both of you are available you can have couples counseling.
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Conclusion
Online marriage counseling is not only cost-effective but it is also an affordable option for couples with busy schedules. The fact that they come from across the world makes online counselors a great option. You don’t have to wait until you have an appointment with a counselor in your locality to get services. After all, online sessions can be held 24/7.
They offer access to a variety of talents and are likely to be less intimidating than face-to-face conversations. Thus it is possible to convince your partner to accompany you to the counselor’s office.
