How to Schedule a Couples Therapy Session

This short, informative blog shares how to schedule a couples therapy session. Specifically, with us here at New Leaf Marriage & Family Therapy! Our licensed marriage and family therapists are experienced and passionate about working with couples. While they have training in marriage and family therapy, they also have training in working with individuals.

 

So, you and your partner, or you and your spouse, are interested in couples therapy. You both have acknowledged an issue that you want to work together to resolve. What are the next steps for setting up an appointment?

 

First, create a mutual agreement with your partner before reaching out. Next, go through a phone intake assessment with us. Finally, prepare for your first session with your therapist.

 

Couples therapy in Simi Valley, CA is held in-person. Consider reading our blog on 4 Reasons to Start Couples Counseling.

 

How to Schedule a Couples Therapy Session: Create a mutual agreement with your partner before reaching out

Couples therapy is more likely to be ineffective if one partner is not willing to attend or is open-minded. For couples therapy to be effective, both partners need to have a level of willingness or readiness. Otherwise, true growth cannot be achieved.

 

A mutual agreement can pertain to a number of things. For example:

 

• Agreeing upon cost of services.

 

• Agreeing upon time and day of sessions.

 

• Agreeing upon potential issues to address together. 

 

• Agreeing that couples therapy is worth a shot.

 

• Agreeing to both be open-minded throughout the process.

 

• Agreeing to the couples therapist.

 

You two can come to a mutual agreement by sitting down and reviewing all of this information together. Perhaps you want to gather primary information first, and then review it with your partner. That’s also fine, but ensure you’re on the same page before officially scheduling a session.

 

We’ll be needing both partners to be ready for the next step of going through a phone intake assessment. For more information on marriage counseling in Simi Valley, reach out to us through our contact form. Make sure to read our blog on What Can Couples Counseling Help With?

 

How to Schedule a Couples Therapy Session: Go through a phone intake assessment with us 

The phone intake assessment is the first step in scheduling a session. Both partners will need to reach out directly to coordinate a time to review this with the practice manager. The phone intake assessment takes around 20 minutes, and gathers information including:

 

• Basic demographic information.

 

• Questions regarding your relationship.

 

• Mental health history / past therapy history.

 

• Personal mental health symptoms.

 

• Medical health history.

 

• Presenting issues for couples therapy.

 

• Goals for couples therapy.

 

From there, you can also expect to review assessment questions. These questions are used to screen and verify that our therapists are right for your needs. These questions include, and are not limited to:

 

• History of domestic violence / IPV.

 

• Substance use history.

 

• Symptoms of psychosis.

 

• Ongoing legal issues.

 

All of this information helps the intake coordinator understand next steps. If we are not the right fit, it’s our goal to help connect you to someone that is. We have referrals throughout LA County and Ventura County. You will be notified during the intake if we are not the right fit.

 

If we are a good fit for each other, this information will be relayed to your couples therapist. They will have a chance to review the intake, and go into session prepared.

 

Sessions are not officially scheduled until both partners complete the intake. This is important, as one partner cannot schedule a session without the others’ consent or knowledge.

 

If for some reason, you do not feel safe or comfortable answering some of the above questions, please let us know during the call. We also have resources available on our website, linked here.

 

How to Schedule a Couples Therapy Session: Prepare for your first session

Now that both of you have completed the phone intake assessment, it is time to prepare for your first session. You can expect that you both will have your own individual client portals. This is created for you to sign and review your new client paperwork. You will not have access to each other’s portals. 

 

You both will receive an email inviting you to sign up for your client portal. There, you will have access to paperwork, billing information, and more. All paperwork, including adding a method of payment on file, is required to be completed prior to session.

 

A welcome email will be sent to both of you, confirming the date and time of your session. We’ll also include our address, contact information, and more. Now that you’ve completed all of the steps to begin couples therapy, it’s time to meet with your therapist! Make sure to read our blog on What Do Marriage Therapists Do?

 

Marriage counseling in Simi Valley, Ca can feel like a difficult step to take. Whether you’re near separation, or want to work on some communication issues, our therapists are here to provide support.

 

In-person therapy in Simi Valley is ideal for those seeking a separate, safe space from their home. Check out our blog on Online Therapy or In Office Therapy to understand what format is best for you. Another great blog to read is ours on if you need Therapy or Medication to address your issues.

 

By seeking out support, you can begin your journey to feeling relief. You don’t have to go through finding the right level of support alone, either. By clicking here, you’ll read our blog on Information About Simi Valley Therapists.

 

Consider calling our therapy group at (805) 774-1506 for a free consultation on how you or a loved one can get started today!

 

Seek out a validating, safe environment with us today. We will help you get to where you want to be. Our therapists provide trauma therapy, teen therapy, individual adult therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, family therapy, and more in-office in Simi Valley, CA.