The Best Online Counseling Platforms for Marriage and Relationships
Relationships are as complex and as unique as each partner. No matter how happy you are with your loved one, everyone goes through difficult times at some point in their life. There may be an obvious cause, such as a major life event, becoming parents, or you simply start growing apart. No matter what the problem is in your relationship, online couple therapy can help.
Why Is Online Couple Therapy Important?
Online counseling platforms for marriage and relationships help couples navigate rocky waters. Unlike traditional therapy, all sessions are conducted online, so you can find the right therapist for your needs regardless of where you live or your schedule. Such platforms help you connect with a specialist, who will give you and your partner all the tools and advice needed to have a healthy relationship.
Unlike driving to the therapist’s office, sessions for marriage counseling online are conducted via the Internet, using a device of your choice – a laptop, a personal computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone. All you need to do is pick a comfortable place and follow up with your appointment.
Even more important, research suggests that online marital counseling and, generally, online psychotherapy, is as efficient as in-person therapy. Apart from obtaining the same results, online therapy is also more affordable, convenient, and flexible than in-person therapy. Some couples may find it difficult to arrange for childcare or drive for long hours to see their therapists, so online therapy can help you eliminate these issues while providing you with the same support and benefits.
If you are looking for the best online marriage counseling platforms, read on to find some of the best platforms, what they offer, and how they may help you and your partner have a happy and healthy relationship.
Best Online Counseling Platforms for Marriage and Relationships
ReGain
ReGain is a platform that focuses entirely on relationship counseling and online couple therapy. One of the many perks of opting for a couples therapy-only platform is that choosing a therapist will be a very easy process since all listed individuals are specialized and stringently vetted for their experience in this field.
In addition to this, all therapists are independent and fully licensed. When you join the platform, you need to complete a questionnaire based on which you will be assigned a therapist. However, if at any point you are not happy with the assigned specialist, you can change them at any time.
One of the main advantages of this platform is that, while it is relationship-focused, you do not have to join the sessions together with your partner. In fact, you can sign up as an individual and follow through with your appointments on your own, or add your partner at a later date – either way, you will benefit from relationship advice.
The ReGain platform provides a full library of resources aimed at helping you improve your relationship. This is very important if you want to be active in the process, as you can read articles and blogs on many issues and how you can successfully address them. Correlated with talk therapy, this could help you and your partner improve your bond and solve any issues you may have.
Calmerry
Calmerry is a relatively new entrant, but it has become very popular in the United States. Unlike ReGain, it is not fully focused on relationship issues – rather, it covers a wide range of mental health problems and areas, which makes it one of the most comprehensive counseling platforms in the US.
Most Calmerry therapists specialize in online couple therapy. Similar to ReGain, you can set up sessions together with your partner, or you can schedule individual sessions for both of you. The platform provides counseling for many marriage and relationship issues and topics, including sexual health, fertility problems, sexual orientation, children, communication, and addiction, among many others.
Calmerry’s therapists are also trained in various therapies, so you can pick the one that helps you the most. Some examples include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, stress reduction, or narrative therapy.
If you are worried about privacy, Calmerry allows any user to sign up with a nickname rather than their legal name. Also, the platform abides by stringent ethical codes and confidentiality regulations. If you’d like to learn more about Calmerry, read our review, which covers more aspects like what they offer, all issues treated, prices, and more.
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is a great online marriage counseling platform if you seek psychotherapy as an individual. While it’s common for couples to attend such sessions together, one of the partners may not always be open to this. In some cases, one partner may not be able to participate in therapy due to various reasons, such as availability, so scheduling individual appointments is the only solution. Nonetheless, the willing partner can still learn how to improve their relationship and marriage by participating in therapy.
The BetterHelp platform provides a very broad range of therapy services proved to be highly effective. Online sessions can only be conducted with one person at a time, but you can opt for ReGain if you want to join with your partner. ReGain is the sister company focused solely on relationships and couples.
The fully-licensed relationship and marriage specialists address many issues, including trauma, conflict management, anger management, and self-esteem. If you believe that therapy sessions with a specialist can help you improve your relationship, the BetterHelp platform has specialists that can teach you coping mechanisms and skills to improve not only your romantic bond, but also relationships with family members, co-workers, children, and friends.
Just like with other platforms reviewed above, you can schedule messaging, video, or phone calling sessions with your assigned therapist. If you are unhappy, you can easily switch them. One key benefit is that BetterHelp allows you to contact your therapist at any time, 24/7, so you can unload your emotions exactly when you need help rather than waiting until the weekly session, which is quite common for in-person therapy.
Relationship Hero
This platform may be a good alternative if your relationship issues are quite targeted, such as coping with adultery, unhealthy relationship matters, breaking up, or getting back together with your ex. Unlike the other platforms mentioned above, not all specialists on Relationship Hero are licensed, though, so you should consider this carefully.
Before you are matched with a relationship coach, you will need to complete an extensive quiz that covers your romantic history and current needs. After that, your sessions will solely focus on how the coach can help you to improve your relationship by providing advice and coping strategies based on your needs.
One important aspect to consider is that Relationship Hero is actually providing relationship coaching (not counseling). The main difference is that, while coaching also aims to improve your relationship, the methods are quite different. In other words, such services offer practical advice that you can apply right away, while online marriage counseling focuses on psychology.
Hence, coaching may not be a good choice if you deal with mental health problems, trauma, and other conditions, but may offer practical solutions to improve your relationships, how to deal with conflict, controlling jealousy, and other relationship challenges.
Couples Learn
Couples Learn helps you pick the right platform for your needs by allowing you to schedule a free consultation before committing to it. This allows you to understand what the platform provides and whether it matches your needs.
If you decide to use the Couples Learn platform after the 30-minute free talk, you can opt for one of the three services provided, namely online couples therapy, individual therapy, and premarital counseling. Users of the platform can pick the specialist they want to work with and schedule an appointment at a convenient time for all parties involved.
All these services have clear targets. For instance, online couple therapy is based on conflict management, trust issues, and infidelity. Individual therapy is for single people who want to improve their skills and learn how to create a healthy relationship, but it is also suitable for people in a relationship whose partner cannot or does not want to participate in therapy. Finally, premarital counseling helps couples navigate challenges like a difficult financial situation, sex life, and children.
Doctor on Demand
Doctor on Demand is an all-inclusive platform. Unlike many other platforms, you can also opt for a licensed psychiatrist. The main difference is that a psychologist cannot help you diagnose or prescribe you medication for your condition. Doctor on Demand, however, can help you with such issues, but it’s important to keep in mind that narcotics and other controlled substances are excluded.
While not fully focused on relationship counseling or online couple therapy, Doctor on Demand’s licensed specialists can help you with anxiety and stress, depression, behavioral therapy, and anger management in your relationship. One of the main drawbacks of Dr on Demand is capacity and availability. The platform is extremely popular, so users may have a difficult time scheduling the first (or next) appointment.
Our Relationship
Our Relationship is worth being considered as one of the best online marriage counseling platforms. It was created by two psychologists with the aim of providing couples with resources and tools to help them improve their connection.
While this platform does not provide the traditional talk therapy as other platforms, it may be worth considering if you don’t specifically have an issue to address, but you’d rather want to improve your bond with your loved one.
Essentially, Our Relationship provides self-help programs that last 4-8 weeks and can be completed with or without a coach. These programs are available for opposite-gender couples, same-gender couples, but also individuals who can complete them on their own (without their partner participating at all).
The Our Relationship programs contain activities, videos, and exercises you need to complete. Their aim is to help you understand the issues you are having and develop the right coping skills and mechanisms to solve them.
Couples or individuals who opt for completing the program with a coach benefit from four sessions with their coach, each lasting for 20 minutes. The video chat session can be used at any time during the program – such as when you are not sure about something or you need professional help with understanding or solving the exercises or issues you’re facing.
It’s important to note that Our Relationship platform does not have licensed therapists. The coaches are, however, trained in relevant areas like therapy and psychology.
Pride Counseling
Pride Counseling specializes in LGBTQ relationships and issues experienced by members of this community. However, anyone can sign up, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. The user experience commences with a quiz that needs to be completed in order to be matched with a therapist. In this quiz, you need to cover aspects like issues you have and why you’ve opted for psychotherapy.
One thing to keep in mind is that Pride Counseling offers broad services, so not every therapist is licensed in online marital counseling or relationship issues. On the good side, if you are not happy with the therapist you’ve been assigned, you can switch them at any time.
Pride Counseling is available in all 50 states. Users of the platform can reach out to their assigned therapist via live chat, audio calls, video calls, and messaging. However, the platform makes it clear that it is a platform for people experiencing mild symptoms. It does not treat underlying mental health conditions, which should be diagnosed and treated by licensed psychiatrists.
Bound Together Counseling
Bound Together Counseling is worth considering if you are looking for sex-positive, inclusive online counseling services. The platform may not be suitable for treating a wide array of issues but is rather centered on sexual problems, including kink-affirming practices, gender-affirming, and alternative relationships. The website also has a rich section of resources for self-help, including books and blog articles.
One of the main drawbacks of Bound Together Counseling is its availability – only in Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio. If you reside in another state, you will be required to pay extra for them to become licensed in your location.
Couples’ Therapy Inc
Couples Therapy Inc is a platform specializing in online marital counseling and relationship issues. The licensed clinicians are available in about 30 US states and four countries. The main focus is couples’ recovery after affairs and discernment counseling.
One of the main drawbacks of Couples Therapy is that the platform does not offer a subscription plan, unlike the rest of the platforms on this list. Instead, you need to pay for each session individually, which makes the platform’s services one of the priciest on this list. On the good side, one session lasts about 50 minutes, which is longer than most competitors’ sessions.
Unlike more expansive platforms like Calmerry or BetterHelp, Couples’ Therapy Inc only has about 30 licensed therapists, so there won’t be much choice if you want to switch the therapist, considering scheduling and availability, for you, your partner, and the assigned therapist.
Finally, another aspect to be highlighted is that, unlike other platforms, there is no algorithm to match you with the right therapist for your needs. Couples Therapy Inc takes pride in its highly trained staff that reviews each message individually. On the other hand, this process will take longer than other platforms that use automatic algorithms for the process – usually 24 hours or more.
Summary
If you are searching for an online counseling platform for marriage and relationships, there are multiple options available to you. These may depend on the nature of your issues, whether you will join together with your partner or alone, and your location.
ReGain and BetterHelp are great choices if you are seeking an industry leader, while Calmerry is a great pick for all sexual orientations and gender identities. Relationship Hero provides great advice, but not all therapists are licensed, so it is a great option if you prefer coaching rather than counseling.
Our Relationship is more of a resource database where you can opt for self-help, and a few additional meetings with a professional. Doctor on Demand, however, is a multi-use platform, but you may have a difficult time scheduling your appointments. For sex therapy, Bound Together is highly helpful, while Pride Counseling is specialized in LGBTQ relationships.
Finally, if you and your partner go through affair recovery or discernment (contemplating divorce) issues, Couples Therapy can help you with advice and personalized coping mechanisms.
In conclusion, online relationship and marital counseling means that you and/or your partner access the help and advice you need to improve the quality of your connection and make sure your relationship is and stays healthy.
There’s a variety of services available nowadays, and the right platform for you may depend on your specific issue, budget, and availability. Fortunately, compared to brick-and-mortar services, online therapy is more affordable, convenient, and flexible, so you and your partner can find a provider suitable for your situation and schedule appointments that fit your schedule. If you are looking for more reviews, here we compare the best platforms available right now.
