CBT for Couples and Relationships

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective therapy for relationship problems, and can include either individual or couples therapy.

CBT for Couples: There are several CBT therapies for couples that are well-researched and highly effective in bringing people together, and getting past obstacles to intimacy. Through CBT, couples can improve communication, increase rewarding relationship behaviors, and reevaluate harmful assumptions that may be driving a wedge between partners.

Studies have shown traditional couples therapy to be effective about 50% of the time. Cognitive behavioral couples therapy however, has been found to be effective about 75% of the time. The most recent advances in couples therapy combine interventions to help couples change problematic behaviors, as well as to learn to accept other behaviors that have been the source of conflict. Using a combination of acceptance and change strategies, couples learn to enhance intimacy and effectively resolve differences. This form of cognitive behavioral couples therapy has been shown to be even more effective than more popular forms of CBT couples treatment.

Individual Therapy: CBT can help people improve any number of relationships, including anything from interactions with casual acquaintances at work, to those with significant others, such as spouses or family members. Everyone has different challenges to creating and maintaining rewarding relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy recognizes this, and helps clients target the specific difficulties they have. There are a number of well-researched methods to improve the quality of relationships. These include assertiveness training, emotion regulation skill building, and cognitive restructuring.