Do We Need Couples Counseling? 5 Signs It Might Be Time
By: Kerry McCarthy, LMHC, LPC, CPC, LAC
When You Care Deeply, But Feel Distant
You love your partner but lately, it feels like you’re speaking two different languages. The spark that once came easily now feels harder to reach. Maybe you’re arguing more, or maybe you’ve stopped arguing altogether. You still care deeply about each other, but something’s missing.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Every relationship hits rough patches, and sometimes, the best way to find your way back to each other is with a little help. That’s where couples counseling comes in. Therapy isn’t about deciding who’s right or wrong, it’s about understanding what’s really happening underneath the surface and learning how to reconnect in a healthier way.
If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to reach out, here are five signs that you and your partner might benefit from couples counseling.
1. You Keep Having the Same Arguments (and They Never Really Get Resolved)
You know the one — the argument about household chores that somehow turns into a debate about respect, tone, or feeling unappreciated. You both know how it’ll go before it even starts, but somehow, you can’t stop replaying it.
That’s a sign that what’s happening on the surface isn’t the real issue. In couples counseling, you’ll learn to recognize the deeper emotional needs and fears hiding underneath those repeat conflicts. Once you start speaking to those, the arguments lose their power.
2. You Feel More Like Roommates Than Partners
Your conversations are mostly about logistics: bills, schedules, groceries. Maybe affection has taken a backseat to exhaustion. The relationship feels functional but flat.
Therapy helps couples move from “managing life together” back to living life together - rebuilding emotional intimacy, curiosity, and playfulness. (Yes, therapy can bring back laughter too.)
3. You’ve Stopped Talking About the Hard Stuff
You tell yourself, “It’s not worth the fight,” so you stop bringing things up. But over time, those unspoken frustrations start building invisible walls between you.
Couples therapy gives you the tools and structure to have those hard conversations safely. You’ll learn how to talk without attacking and how to listen without shutting down.
4. One or Both of You Are Holding onto Resentment or Distrust
Maybe there’s been a betrayal, or maybe it’s years of small disappointments that piled up without repair. Resentment is like emotional clutter, it fills the space that connection needs.
In therapy, couples learn how to clean out that emotional clutter. You’ll work through what happened, make sense of the pain, and rebuild trust in ways that feel honest and sustainable.
5. You Want to Strengthen Your Relationship — Not Just Save It
Couples counseling isn’t only for couples in crisis. It’s for people who want to stay connected, keep growing, and prevent small issues from becoming big ones.
Just like you might exercise to stay healthy instead of waiting for an injury, therapy can be a proactive investment in your relationship’s wellbeing. It’s one of the most powerful ways to stay close through life’s inevitable changes.
What to Expect in Couples Counseling
At Wandering Pine Wellness, we approach couples therapy as a team effort, not a referee type situation.
Using evidence-based models like the Gottman Method, we help partners:
Communicate with empathy instead of defensiveness
Rebuild emotional and physical intimacy
Understand and repair recurring conflict patterns
Create shared goals and healthy boundaries
Sessions can be held in-person or online anywhere in Nevada because the best time to work on your relationship is when you both decide it matters.
Frequently Asked Questions About Couples Counseling
Is couples counseling only for relationships in trouble?
Not at all. Many couples come to therapy not because they’re on the brink of separation, but because they want to strengthen communication, deepen connection, and learn healthier ways to handle conflict. Think of therapy as relationship maintenance, not just crisis response.
Can couples counseling be done online?
Yes! Online couples counseling is highly effective and can be a great option for busy professionals or partners who live in different locations. Virtual sessions allow both people to join from wherever they are while receiving the same level of support and confidentiality as in-person sessions.
How long does couples counseling usually take?
It depends on your goals and the issues you’re working through. Some couples find meaningful progress in just a few sessions, while others choose ongoing therapy to continue building connection and resilience. Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to set a pace that fits your needs.
What if my partner doesn’t want to come to therapy?
That’s a common concern. Couples and relationship therapy works best when all parties consent to participating. If your partner is unwilling to join you at this time, you may be served best in individual therapy.
Is couples therapy covered by insurance?
Unfortunately, insurance doesn't cover couples work. Fees for this service range from $160-275/ session, depending on the therapist and the length of your appointments
Ready to Begin Couples Counseling in Nevada?
Couples counseling isn’t about finding out who’s at fault, it’s about remembering what brought you together and learning how to get back there. If you’ve been feeling disconnected, stuck, or tired of walking on eggshells, therapy can help you rediscover the partnership underneath the problems.
At Wandering Pine Wellness, we specialize in supporting couples, professionals, and first responders who want to strengthen their relationships and reconnect with each other.
Meet our Couples Counselors
Couples therapy available in-person in Las Vegas and virtually anywhere in NV.
Couples therapy available in-person in Las Vegas and virtually anywhere in NV.
Couples therapy available in-person in Las Vegas and virtually anywhere in NV.
