Does couples therapy work?

Yes, and the research backs it up. Structured couples therapy produces meaningful, lasting improvements in relationship satisfaction for the majority of couples who engage in it. We use evidence-based methods developed and refined over decades of clinical research. Outcomes are strongest when both partners show up consistently and give the process real time to unfold. Most couples who commit to the process see genuine change. The question isn't really whether couples therapy works — it's whether you're ready to let it work for you.

Do both partners have to attend every couples therapy session?

In most cases, yes. Couples therapy is most effective when both partners are present and actively engaged. That said, there may be moments in treatment where individual sessions make clinical sense alongside the couple's work. Your therapist will talk through what the right structure looks like for your situation from the very beginning, so you'll never feel like you're figuring it out alone.

Does couples therapy only work if both people are fully committed?

Ambivalence, hesitation, and even skepticism are all normal starting points. It is common for a person to feel unsure if therapy will work. What matters most is a shared willingness to show up and try. That's enough to begin.

Is couples therapy only for relationships in crisis?

Not at all. Many couples come to therapy before problems become serious — to strengthen communication, prepare for a major life transition, or invest in their relationship's long-term health. Couples therapy is equally valuable as a proactive tool as it is a crisis response.

Can couples therapy help us decide whether to stay together or separate?

Yes, and it's more common than you might think. While many couples come to therapy focused on strengthening their relationship, therapy can also provide a clear, supported space to evaluate things honestly — including whether staying together is the right path. This is sometimes called discernment counseling. Either way, the goal is that both of you leave with clarity, not confusion.

Will the couples therapist take sides?

Never. Your therapist's role is to be a balanced, steady presence for both of you — not to act as a judge or advocate for either person. The goal is to ensure both partners feel genuinely heard and to foster the kind of honest conversation that's hard to have on your own. Many couples are surprised by how different that feels from what they expected.

Does seeking couples therapy mean our relationship is failing?

Exactly the opposite. Reaching out for support is one of the clearest signs that you care about your relationship enough to fight for it. The couples who struggle most are often the ones who wait too long. Seeing a therapist before things get harder is a decision you're unlikely to regret.

What if one partner doesn't want to go to couples therapy?

Individual therapy can be a meaningful place to start — and often when one partner begins their own work, the dynamic between the two shifts. If you're not sure how to move forward, contact Newbury Counseling and Consulting. We can help you think through the options and find a first step that feels right for where you are.

Does Newbury Counseling and Consulting offer online couples therapy in Illinois?

Yes. We offer virtual couples therapy through a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform for couples located anywhere in Illinois. Online sessions are equally effective and offer flexibility for partners with busy schedules or those who prefer to do their therapeutic work from home.

Is couples therapy covered by insurance at Newbury Counseling and Consulting?

Coverage varies by plan. Newbury Counseling and Consulting is in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Cigna and Evernorth, Anthem, and United Healthcare. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm your coverage for couples therapy.

What if I don't have insurance or want to self-pay?

Self-pay and out-of-network options are available at Newbury Counseling and Consulting. Intake sessions are $200 and ongoing sessions are $175.

Couples Therapy

in Chicago

IS COUPLES THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU?

Every relationship moves through seasons of deep connection, steady growth, and, yes, real tension and change. When communication starts to feel harder than it used to, when the same arguments keep cycling without resolution, or when distance has crept in, and you’re not sure how to close it, you don’t have to keep navigating that alone. Couples therapy offers a steady, supported space where two people can slow down, understand each other more fully, and find their way back to one another. Sometimes called couples counseling or relationship therapy, it’s a form of psychotherapy built around one core idea: that with the right support, most relationships can grow stronger.

Couples come to therapy for all kinds of reasons, and each is valid. Some arrive in the middle of a specific conflict or a difficult season. Others come with something quieter: a gradual drift, a growing sense of disconnection, or a major life transition that has changed the dynamic in ways that are hard to name. Many couples start counseling proactively before marriage, after a major life change, or simply because they want more from their relationship. Wherever you’re starting from, couples therapy can be a genuine turning point. If you and your partner are ready to do honest work together, something better is possible.

WHY CHOOSE NEWBURY COUNSELING & CONSULTING

HOW WE HELP

You deserve a space where you feel genuinely heard, not managed or mediated, but truly understood. At Newbury Counseling and Consulting, that’s exactly what couples therapy looks like. Our approach is warm, non-judgmental, and built around what your specific relationship needs, not a scripted process. We work with both partners to uncover the patterns keeping you stuck, rebuild communication that actually lands, and develop a clearer, more compassionate understanding of each other. Whatever brought you here — conflict, disconnection, a season of change, or simply the sense that things could be better — we will meet you exactly where you are.

We are a fully inclusive practice that welcomes all couples, relationship structures, identities, and backgrounds. Whether you’re looking for LGBTQ+-affirming therapy, premarital counseling before a major commitment, or deeper relationship work to shift long-standing patterns, our therapists bring both clinical expertise and genuine humanity to every session. The right therapist makes all the difference — and we’re here to be that for you. Starting is easier than you think. A free 15-minute consultation is all it takes to find out if we’re the right fit.

WE CAN HELP WITH

LGBTQ+ COUPLES THERAPY

You shouldn’t have to explain your relationship to your therapist; you should be able to focus on it. We offer fully affirming LGBTQ+ couples therapy in Chicago for same-sex couples, queer partnerships, and relationships across the full spectrum of gender and sexual identity. Our therapists show up without assumptions, bias, or the need for you to educate them on who you are. This is a space built for your relationship, exactly as it is, and you’re welcome here.

PRE-MARITAL COUPLES COUNSELING

The conversations you have before marriage matter just as much as the ones you have after. Pre-marital counseling at Newbury Counseling & Consulting gives partners the opportunity to deepen their understanding of each other, clarify shared values and expectations, build communication skills, and work through differences before they become entrenched. Whether you’re recently engaged or planning a long-term commitment, investing in your foundation now is one of the most meaningful things you can do for your future together.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

Sometimes the most difficult part of a relationship isn’t a specific argument but a pattern underneath all of them. Interpersonal relationship therapy at Newbury Counseling & Consulting helps couples identify those cycles, understand their origins, and build new ways of relating that feel more connected, honest, and sustainable. If you and your partner keep finding yourselves in the same place, no matter how hard you try, this work can be what finally shifts it.

WHAT DOES THERAPY INCLUDE

One of the most common worries people have before starting therapy is not knowing what to expect, and that’s completely understandable. At Newbury Counseling & Consulting, there’s no rigid script and no predetermined process waiting for you. Your therapist will take the time to understand your relationship, your goals, and what kind of support actually feels useful before anything else. You just have to show up. We’ll handle the rest together.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, and the research backs it up. Structured couples therapy produces meaningful, lasting improvements in relationship satisfaction for the majority of couples who engage in it. We use evidence-based methods, developed and refined over decades of clinical research. Like any meaningful work, outcomes are strongest when both partners show up consistently and give the process real time to unfold. Most couples who commit to the process see a genuine change. The question isn’t really whether couples therapy works; it’s whether you’re ready to let it work for you.
In most cases, yes. Couples therapy is most effective when both partners are present and actively engaged. That said, there may be moments in treatment where individual sessions make clinical sense alongside the couple's work. Your therapist will talk through what the right structure looks like for your situation from the very beginning, so you’ll never feel like you’re figuring it out alone.
Ambivalence, hesitation, and even skepticism are all normal starting points. It is common for a person to feel unsure if therapy will work. What matters most is a shared willingness to show up and try. That’s enough to begin.
Not at all! Many couples come to therapy before problems become serious to strengthen communication, prepare for a major life transition, or invest in their relationship’s long-term health. Couples therapy is equally valuable as a proactive tool as it is a crisis response.
Yes, and it’s more common than you might think. While many couples come to therapy focused on strengthening their relationship, therapy can also provide a clear, supported space to evaluate things honestly, including whether staying together is the right path. This is sometimes called discernment counseling. Either way, the goal is that both of you leave with clarity, not confusion.
Never. Your therapist’s role is to be a balanced, steady presence for both of you, not to act as a judge or advocate for either person. The goal is to ensure both partners feel genuinely heard, and to foster the kind of honest conversation that’s hard to have on your own. Many couples are surprised by how different that feels from what they expected.
Exactly the opposite. Reaching out for support is one of the clearest signs that you care about your relationship enough to fight for it. The couples who struggle most are often the ones who wait too long. Seeing a therapist before things get harder is a decision you’re unlikely to regret.
Individual therapy can be a meaningful place to start, and often when one partner begins their own work, the dynamic between the two shifts. If you’re not sure how to move forward, contact us. We can help you think through the options and find a first step that feels right for where you are.
Yes. We offer virtual couples therapy through a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform for couples located anywhere in Illinois. Online sessions are equally effective and offer flexibility for partners with busy schedules or those who prefer to do their therapeutic work from home.
Coverage varies by plan. We are in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Cigna and Evernorth, Anthem, and United Healthcare. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm your coverage for couples therapy.
Self-pay and out-of-network options are also available. Intake sessions are $200, and ongoing sessions are $175.

MEET OUR COUPLES THERAPISTS

Abigail Serafin, LCSW

Abigail brings a calm, grounding presence to the therapy room. She supports college students, adults, and couples who are exploring identity, healing from trauma, navigating transitions, or working to strengthen their relationships. With a style rooted in curiosity, connection, and deep respect for each person’s lived experience, she helps clients move toward a life that feels more authentic, empowered, and aligned with who they’re becoming.

Learn more

Eve Gottesman, LSW

Eve understands that beginning therapy is a courageous step. She recognizes that the therapeutic journey can feel unfamiliar and, at times, challenging, and she is committed to creating a compassionate, affirming, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel safe to be themselves. Eve values authenticity, collaboration, and empathy, and believes that a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation for meaningful growth and healing.

Learn more

FEATURED BLOGS

Does a Couples Therapist Take Sides? What to Expect in Couples Therapy

One of the most common questions couples ask before starting therapy is, "Will our therapist take sides?" The simple answer is no. A couples therapist's role is not to decide who is right or wrong. Instead, our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where both partners feel heard, understood, and respected.

FEELING MORE LIKE ROOMMATES THAN PARTNERS?

Some couples in Chicago describe a subtle shift that’s hard to name: you still care about each other, but lately it feels more like you’re sharing a space and a schedule than sharing a life. The days are full of work, commuting, caring for others, and trying to keep up with everything happening in the neighborhood - yet real conversations and moments of closeness keep getting pushed to “later.”

“I believe that everyone deserves a chance to heal; a chance to speak their truth, wrestle with their past and ultimately move forward into a healthier season.”

– Julia Newbury –

We’re glad you’re here. Reach out when you’re ready.

Get In Touch

Whether you’re curious about our services or want help figuring out the best next step, we’re here for you. We’ll respond within two business days.

CONTACT

Email us directly
(773) 823-4515

This form is for general inquiries only. Please do not include personal or protected health information (PHI). If you’re experiencing an emergency or need immediate help, call 911 or your local emergency services.

Couples Therapy

in Chicago