Online couples therapy
Video-based couples therapy often works more readily than people assume. For couples with packed calendars it is frequently the only way to attend with any regularity.
How does online couples therapy work?
A link reaches you before each appointment, and you join at the agreed time. The process matches the practice: you talk with each other, and I keep the conversation structured. No software needs installing, and no prior experience is required.
The best setup is both of you sitting side by side in front of one device. That mirrors the situation in the practice and makes it easier to answer each other. Two separate devices work too if you happen to be in different places.
What counts is a room where you can speak without being overheard. Headphones help if other people are in the flat.
What you need
Very little. These four points suffice.
- A laptop or tablet with a camera – a phone can work, yet it is uncomfortable for a long conversation.
- A reliable internet connection, ideally via Wi-Fi or cable.
- A room with the door closed, where both of you can speak openly.
- Headphones whenever other people are in the household.
Who online suits – and who it suits less
Online suits couples who travel a great deal for work, live in different cities, have small children or live outside Bochum. For long-distance relationships it is often the only realistic form.
It suits you less well when the tension between you is very high. A screen takes away part of the connection, and in escalating situations the shared room is missing. In such cases I suggest holding at least the first appointments in the practice.
You do not have to choose once and for all. Many couples combine the two: some appointments in Bochum, the rest online.
Is online couples therapy available across Germany?
Yes. For online sessions it does not matter where you live, provided you are in Germany. The practice is in Bochum, yet a large share of the online couples come from other cities – or live across two locations.
Sessions take place in German or in English. For couples who speak English day to day, English is often the better fit: an argument is hard to resolve in a language you have never had it in.
The next step
Get to know me without any commitment
In the free initial consultation we clarify what is going on for you and whether working together feels like a fit.