Marriage Counseling
& Relationship Therapy
Guided support to resolve conflict and rebuild your partnership.
Why Marriage Counseling Matters
Marriage is one of the most intimate and impactful human relationships. It is a source of support, shared meaning, and family stability—yet it also carries unique pressures: financial strain, parenting differences, sexual intimacy challenges, communication breakdown, and attachment vulnerabilities that arise over time. When persistent conflict, patterns of withdrawal, or breaches of trust emerge, the outcome affects not only partners but children, extended family, and personal well-being. Marriage counseling matters because it provides a guided, structured way to disrupt harmful patterns, resolve recurring problems, and rebuild the partnership with practical tools and renewed understanding.
What marriage counseling accomplishes
Identifies and interrupts harmful interaction cycles that escalate fights or create ongoing withdrawal.
Helps partners understand their emotional triggers and the underlying needs beneath anger, criticism, or avoidance.
Improves intimacy, both emotional and physical, by addressing barriers and creating space for vulnerability.
Who benefits from marriage counseling
Couples experiencing chronic arguing or repetitive relationship cycles
Partners recovering from infidelity or betrayal
Spouses navigating life transitions (remarriage, new child, job loss, relocation)
Couples where one or both partners feel emotionally disconnected or resentful
Partners preparing for remarriage or blending families
Couples wanting to strengthen communication before problems deepen
Our approach to marriage counseling
At Struggling Couples - Michael Borash LPC, marriage counseling blends empathic exploration with structured skills training. We assess interaction patterns, attachment dynamics, and the specific incidents that have eroded safety. Treatment includes:
Assessment and goal-setting
A thorough evaluation of history, strengths, and issues, with collaborative goal setting.
Pattern interruption:
Techniques to stop negative cycles and de-escalate conflict in-session and at home.
Emotional processing
Creating a safe environment to express hurt, anger, fear, and remorse.
Behavioral change
Concrete actions, commitments, and skills to build healthier interactions.
Accountability and repair
Concrete actions, commitments, and skills to build healthier interactions.
Ongoing maintenance
Strategies to sustain gains and prevent relapse into old patterns.
Key benefits of working with Michael Borash, LPC
Deep experience with marriage conflict and infidelity cases
Practical and clear therapeutic guidance you can apply between sessions
Skilled at balancing empathy for emotional pain with firm accountability for harmful choices
Secure telehealth option for couples who cannot attend in person
Infidelity and trust repair
- Immediate stabilization: Addressing shock, intense emotions, and clarifying boundaries for safety.
- Disclosure and truth-telling: Facilitating transparent sharing while maintaining safety and fairness.
- Accountability measures: Concrete actions the offending partner takes to rebuild trust (e.g., transparency with devices, agreed boundaries).
- Emotional processing and meaning-making: Helping both partners process the wound and its impact.
- Rebuilding intimacy: Gradual steps toward restored closeness, with realistic expectations and rituals of repair.
Typical session structure
- Check-in: Brief update on the week and any incidents.
- Targeted intervention: Focus on the most pressing pattern or event.
- Skill practice: Guided communication, role-play, or structured exercises.
- Homework: Specific assignments to practice skills between sessions.
- Closing and safety check: Ensuring both partners leave with reduced escalation and clear next steps.
How to prepare for marriage counseling
- Identify the primary concerns and recent patterns you want to change.
- Be willing to participate in homework and practice new skills.
- Choose commitment: counseling requires consistent attendance and effort to produce lasting change.
- Bring openness to both emotional processing and behavior change.
What to expect over time
- Short-term work: 8–12 sessions to address a specific issue and teach skills.
- Medium-term work: 3–6 months to reshape deeper patterns and rebuild trust.
- Long-term maintenance: Periodic check-ins to reinforce gains and address new life transitions.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will I have to share everything?
Full disclosure is complex and guided by clinical judgment. We encourage transparency but prioritize safety and pacing that is manageable for both partners.
What if we want different outcomes (e.g., one wants divorce)?
Counseling helps clarify options and supports both partners in making informed decisions. We work toward mutual understanding whether the goal is reconciliation or an amicable separation.
How do you handle sessions with high emotion or anger?
We use de-escalation techniques and safety planning when necessary. Sessions are structured to allow expression without harm and to teach emotional regulation skills.
Do you provide therapy for longstanding marriages with decades of history?
Yes. Long-term marriages often have deep patterns but also strong motivation to repair. We work at a pace suitable for the complexity of history.
What makes our relationship counseling effective
Tailored interventions instead of generic relationship advice
Focus on both emotional connection and behavioral change
Clear, measurable goals and regular reviews of progress
Integration of telehealth for couples with scheduling or geographic challenges
Contact
- Let us know if you prefer telehealth or in-person sessions in Fairfax.
- Complete a brief intake form so we can tailor your first session to your goals.