Couples

Couples Therapy

Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT)

IBCT is a therapy for couples that focuses on reducing relationship distress and improving relationship satisfaction. This therapy develops increased emotional understanding, effective communication strategies, and improved behavioral responses between loved ones. By accepting your differences and understanding your partner’s sensitivities and stressors, you can work together to overcome the challenges you’re facing.

IBCT typically ranges from 11 to 26 sessions, but your treatment plan will be tailored to your needs and has no fixed number of sessions. The therapy may teach you how to negotiate and set goals together with your partner, friend, or family member in two phases: evaluation and treatment.

• The evaluation phase usually consists of a joint session, an individual session with each partner, and a feedback session for the therapist to explain their understanding of the couple’s problems and outline next steps for treatment.
• The treatment phase consists of the therapist’s work with the couple to alter and improve the way they interact with and understand each other.

Through this therapy, you may:

• Experience increasing relationship satisfaction.
• See an improvement in your communication skills and emotional closeness with your partner.
• Recognize and change problematic patterns of interaction.
• Increase your positive interactions and connection.

Information from mentalhealth.va.gov