Most couples don't fight about one big thing. They fight about the dishes, the schedule, and whose turn it is, until every small disagreement feels like a rerun of the last one.
Couples therapy gives you both a structured place to slow those conversations down. Instead of picking a winner, sessions focus on what's happening between you: the patterns that keep repeating, the needs underneath them, and the habits that help you feel close again.
Sessions draw on the Gottman Method, a research-based approach to couples work, and your counselor is Level 2 trained in it. Premarital counseling is also available for couples who want a strong start.
Hard to line up two schedules? Secure telehealth sessions are available for couples located in Idaho at the time of the session.
Start with a free 15-minute phone call to ask questions and see if it's a good fit for both of you. Your first couples appointment is free.
The Gottman Method grew out of decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman on what helps relationships last and what tends to wear them down. Couples therapy built on that research is practical. You learn specific habits, not just general advice to communicate better.
In sessions, that means learning to spot the patterns that push partners apart, like criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and shutting down. You then replace them with better ways to raise a concern, recover after a fight, and rebuild friendship and trust.
Communication Breakdowns You're both talking, but nothing lands. Sessions focus on how to bring up hard topics gently and really listen to the answer, so conversations stop ending in a standoff.
Recurring Conflict Some disagreements never fully go away, and that's normal in every relationship. Therapy helps you handle the ones that keep coming back so they stop taking over your time together.
Rebuilding Trust Whether trust broke all at once or wore down slowly, rebuilding it takes structure and patience. Sessions give you both a safer place to have the conversations that feel too risky at home.
Emotional Distance When work, kids, and routines take over, couples can drift without noticing. Therapy helps you turn back toward each other and rebuild the friendship underneath the relationship.
Big Life Changes A new baby, a move, a job change, or an empty nest can strain even a strong relationship. Sessions help you adjust to the change together instead of ending up on opposite sides.
Money, Chores, and In-Laws Everyday disagreements pile up fast when they never get resolved. Therapy helps you find compromises you can both live with and stick to.
Premarital Counseling Getting married or moving in together? Premarital counseling helps you talk through expectations, finances, conflict, and family plans before they turn into problems.
If one partner wants to start alone, link to individual therapy from this section. The individual page already links here, so the two pages point to each other.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Idaho and a Clinical Mental Health Nutrition Specialist. I hold a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwest Nazarene University. I studied philosophy and psychology at Brigham Young University–Idaho and am currently earning a Master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh.
I am trained in the Gottman Method (Level 2) for couples work and use EMDR, DBT skills, and a holistic approach that may include discussion of lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, movement, and nutrition when relevant to mental health goals.
I practice within the scope of my counseling license and am not a physician or dietitian. Any nutrition-related discussion is educational and collaborative, not medical diagnosis or treatment, and is always optional.
Couples therapy is counseling for two partners together, focused on how you communicate, handle conflict, and stay connected. At Virtue Counseling in Idaho Falls, couples sessions are informed by the Gottman Method.
Couples sessions at Virtue Counseling are $180 for 53 minutes, and your first appointment is free.
The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. It focuses on strengthening friendship, managing conflict, and building shared meaning.
Yes. Secure telehealth couples sessions are available when you're located in Idaho at the time of the session.
Yes. Premarital counseling helps couples talk through expectations, finances, and conflict before marriage, so you start with a shared plan.
Call or text (208) 358-8313 or email benjamin@virtue-counseling.com to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation. If it's a good fit, your first couples appointment is free.