Every couple hits walls. What matters is what you do next
You love each other. But something keeps getting in the way — the same argument that never resolves, the silence that stretches longer each time, the distance that neither of you knows how to close. You’re not failing. You’re running patterns that haven’t been addressed yet.
Couples therapy with Beth McErlean gives you and your partner a structured, supported space to finally have the conversations that matter — and to learn the skills that make those conversations possible.
Couples therapy · Trauma-informed · Communication skills · Virtual · NC · VA · WI · Insurance accepted
WHO IS COUPLES THERAPY FOR
Couples therapy is right for you if…
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You have the same argument over and over and it never actually resolves
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One or both of you shuts down, withdraws, or explodes during conflict
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You feel more like roommates than partners
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Trust has been broken and you don’t know how to rebuild it
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One partner’s trauma, mental health diagnosis, or past experiences are creating friction in the relationship
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You’re considering separation but want to try everything first
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You’re in a good relationship and want to make it stronger before problems take root
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You’re navigating a major life transition — a move, a new baby, a career change, a loss — that is straining your connection
Couples therapy · Trauma-informed · Communication skills · Virtual · NC · VA · WI · Insurance accepted
WHAT WE WORK ON
What couples therapy addresses
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Communication patterns: Understanding how each of you communicates — and miscommunicates — and building tools for expressing needs, feelings, and boundaries in ways that can actually be heard.
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Conflict & repair: Learning to fight in ways that bring you closer rather than further apart — including how to de-escalate, take responsibility, and repair after rupture.
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Trauma & relationships: Addressing how one or both partners’ past experiences — childhood trauma, previous relationships, loss — are showing up in the current dynamic.
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Mental health & intimacy: Navigating the impact of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD on intimacy, trust, and day-to-day relational functioning.
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Trust & emotional safety: Rebuilding trust after betrayal, dishonesty, or emotional unavailability — and creating the conditions for genuine emotional safety.
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Disconnection & intimacy: Addressing the emotional and physical distance that builds when couples stop feeling truly known by each other.
Couples therapy · Trauma-informed · Communication skills · Virtual · NC · VA · WI · Insurance accepted
THE APPROACH
How couples therapy works
Couples therapy is active and skills-focused — not just a space to vent to a referee. Sessions draw from:
CBT for couples: Identifying and interrupting the thought patterns and negative cycles that drive conflict and disconnection.
ACT: Helping both partners clarify what they value in the relationship and commit to actions that reflect those values, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Trauma-informed practice: Understanding how each partner’s history is shaping their reactions — and creating space for both people to be seen and understood more fully.
Emotional regulation skills: Building each partner’s capacity to stay regulated during difficult conversations — so the conversation can actually happen.
Couples therapy · Trauma-informed · Communication skills · Virtual · NC · VA · WI · Insurance accepted
A NOTE ON VIRTUAL THERAPY
Couples therapy · Trauma-informed · Communication skills · Virtual · NC · VA · WI · Insurance accepted
Does virtual couples therapy actually work?
Yes — and for many couples, it works better than in-person. Research consistently shows that telehealth couples therapy produces outcomes comparable to in-person sessions. For couples with busy schedules, kids at home, or partners in different locations during the week, virtual therapy removes the logistical barriers that often delay getting help.
All sessions are conducted via HIPAA-compliant video — private, secure, and accessible from your home.
FAQ SECTION
Frequently asked questions about couples therapy
Q: Do we both need to want couples therapy for it to work?
A: Both partners need to be willing to participate, but you don’t need to agree on everything — including whether therapy is a good idea. Many couples come in with one partner more skeptical than the other. What matters is showing up and giving it a genuine try.
Q: Can couples therapy save a relationship that’s really struggling?
A: Sometimes yes, and sometimes the most valuable outcome of couples therapy is clarity — about whether the relationship can be repaired, what each person needs, and how to move forward in a way that is honest and healthy for everyone, including children if they’re involved.
Q: My partner won’t come to therapy. Can I come alone?
A: Absolutely. Individual therapy can still address relationship patterns, help you understand your own role in the dynamic, and give you tools for navigating a difficult relationship — whether you stay or go.
Q: Does insurance cover couples therapy?
A: Coverage for couples therapy varies by plan. Some plans cover it when there is a clinical diagnosis for one or both partners. I recommend calling the member services number on your insurance card and asking specifically about outpatient mental health benefits for couples or relationship therapy. I can provide more guidance during your consultation.
Q: How often do couples need to come to therapy?
A: Most couples start with weekly sessions, especially in the early phase when patterns are being identified and new skills introduced. Frequency can reduce to biweekly as things stabilize. Consistency matters more than frequency — the work between sessions is just as important as the sessions themselves.
Your relationship deserves more than white-knuckling it.
Free 15-minute consultation · Virtual · NC, VA & WI · Insurance accepted