Why You Can Trust CNET 5 Best Online Couples Therapy Services for 2022
Interested in online couples or marriage therapy? Here are the best online couples counseling services.
- Carl R. Greer/Andrew D. Hepburn Award for Best Nonfiction Essay (Miami University, 2020)
Long gone is the taboo surrounding couples therapy. It isn't just for couples on the brink, but any couple looking for a little extra guidance -- and it's more common than you may think. According to a 2017 survey of 1,000 engaged, married and divorced individuals, 51% of American millennials have attended marriage or couples counseling.
Every couple goes through ups and downs, but sometimes you need a little help to navigate challenging times. Whether you and your partner are looking for new ways to understand each other or are in need of mending your relationship, online counseling may be a helpful tool.
If you're seeking online couples therapy, check out the list we've created to help in your search. This list of the best online counseling for couples was curated with an eye toward affordability, accessibility, convenience and level of professionalism.
Price: $60 to $90 a week
Format: Messaging, phone, video
Accepts insurance?: No
ReGain specializes in "regaining" trust, passion, friendship, intimacy and affection in relationships. There is an option for individual therapy or couples therapy. The first step in signing up is filling out a questionnaire. If desired, your partner can be invited. Then, a shared account is created and all communication can be seen by the licensed therapist and either partner. If there's a need for confidential communication between one partner and the therapist, an individual session will be requested.
After the initial questionnaire and signup process, ReGain will match you with a therapist. Then, a chatroom will be open. You can message the therapist anytime via chatroom or scheduled video calls. However, note that three-way calls are not available. You and your partner need to be on the same device, in the same location during video calls.
Billed monthly, each week will cost anywhere from $60 to $90, depending on your location, preferences and therapist. You can cancel your membership at any time.
ReGain's best features
- User-friendly platform and app
- Access to a daily journal that can be private or be shared with your partner and therapist
Things to consider
- Doesn't accept insurance
Price: $109 to $129 per session
Format: Video
Accepts insurance?: Yes
Amwell offers therapy to couples 18 years or older who are in an intimate relationship -- you do not need to be married. Licensed therapists with Amwell can help with miscommunication, conflict resolution, infidelity, fertility issues, parenting or family issues, sexual problems, job loss, financial hardship, mental illness, addiction or gambling.
During the first session, your therapist will meet with you and your partner via video call on the website or app. The therapist will ask questions about the nature and dynamics of your relationship and help you create and meet goals. Further sessions may be recommended.
The price of each session will depend on your chosen therapist's credentials. Providers with a master's degree will be $109 per session and those with a Ph.D. will be $129. However, with insurance this may be lower.
Amwell's best features
- Accepts a wide range of insurances
- You get to choose your therapist and most are flexible
Things to consider
- There aren't subscription plans to choose from
Price: $69 to $129 per week
Format: Messaging, video
Accepts insurance?: Yes
When signing-up for couples therapy with Talkspace, you are asked to check all relationship issues that apply from a drop-down menu. Talkspace can help with communication, deciding whether or not to separate, conflicts and disagreements, adultery, understanding your partner better, tension, preventing divorce or separation, sex and intimacy problems and divorce or separation mediation.
After selecting the issues you would like to work through, there is another drop-down menu on the method you would like your licensed provider to use. These options include a provider that will teach new skills, assign homework and tasks, explore past experiences, teach mindfulness, actively listen, explore personal meaning to experiences, instill hope or collaborate.
There are a few subscription options available. If you would only like to message a provider, it will be $69 a week for unlimited messaging five days a week. Live therapy is four times a month for 45 minutes each at $99 a week. Live therapy and unlimited messaging costs $129 a week, but unlimited doesn't necessarily mean that the therapist will reply immediately all the time. They have working hours.
Talkspace's best features
- Therapists that will help address issues, whether or not you decide to stay together
- Access to Talkspace's psychiatrists for medication management
Things to consider
- Messaging a provider is not for everyone. You will have to pay extra for live video sessions
Price: $60 to $150 an hour
Format: Messaging, phone
Accepts insurance?: No
The coaches of Relationship Hero can help you cope with breaking up, moving on, getting back together with an ex and dating. While in a committed relationship or a marriage, Relationship Hero can support building attraction, breaking unhealthy relationship patterns, dealing with mixed signals and the aftermath of adultery.
Each coach goes through extensive training before meeting with you and your partner. However not all coaches on Relationship Hero are licensed therapists. Before being matched with a coach, you will take a questionnaire and a relationship quiz. This will help your coach understand you, your partner and your relationship. After, each session will focus on practical advice and strategies that can be applied to your relationship right away. You can message your coach 24/7 via chat messaging.
You'll pay your coach by the hour. Depending on your coach's certificates and coaching level, you will pay about $1 a minute. However, more experienced coaches are $150 an hour.
Relationship Hero's best features
- Access to live group sessions about anything from anxiety to self-love to moving on
- 1:1 coaching is also available
Things to consider
- Not every coach is a licensed therapist
Price: $90 to $120 a week
Format: Messaging, phone, video
Accepts insurance?: No
Pride Counseling offers providers that specialize in LGBTQ issues and relationships. However, the platform isn't just for those who identify with the LGBTQ community. Pride Counseling is available nationwide and for any and all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Complete a short questionnaire about what brought you to therapy and the issues that you would like to address. Create a private account and you will then be matched with a provider. You can easily switch if you aren't satisfied with your first therapist. Note that not every provider is a licensed marriage therapist.
Each session is 30 to 45 minutes and you will be billed for each week. You can pay anywhere between $90 to $120 depending on your location, preferences and therapist. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Pride Counseling's best features
- There is a sister site -- Teen Counseling, for teens seeking treatment
- Be matched with a therapist within a few hours or days
Things to consider
- You can't choose your therapist
Online couples therapy FAQs
What is the best type of couples counseling?
There are a few popular types of couples therapy that you can choose from, such as emotionally focused therapy, the Gottman method, cognitive behavioral therapy and reflective listening. All have shown promising effects in studies, but the right type of counseling for you will depend on you and your partner. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all.
What percentage of couples who go to counseling stay together?
According to a study from 2011 on the treatment of couples in distress, 70% of couples reported feeling better about the relationship. More research needs to be done in this area.
Does the Gottman method work?
The Gottman method gets its name from psychologist John M. Gottman. His couple-based therapy approach helps you learn conflict resolution skills and dive deep into your relationship dynamic. According to a 2018 study, the Gottman method is very effective. Although, this type of therapy isn't for everyone. Work with your therapist to find a method that works for you and your partner.