Marriage and Couples Counseling Serving Billings

Conflict is an inevitable and vital aspect of any relationship. Nonetheless, when left unaddressed, conflicts can not only lead to frustration for both partners, but also engender hurt, resentment, and ultimately, severe rifts in the relationship. We provide marriage counseling services, available for couples in Billings and across MT, offering a constructive and supportive avenue for resolving these issues in a positive and nurturing manner.

Relationship Issues Are Treatable 

Research from the Gottman Institute, founded on the pioneering work of Dr. John Gottman, has demonstrated that relationship issues, such as the following, are both treatable and preventable.

Communication issues can result in multiple misunderstandings. Without clarification, communication problems can compound, pulling apart a couple who may once have been very close.

Infidelity can obliterate trust and respect in any relationship, causing both partners to question whether they can or will ever find their way back to one another. 

When spouses are in the throes of these relationship issues, it can seem like there are no solutions in sight. But when that same couple sees Gottman-trained marriage specialists serving Billings and across MT for marriage and couples counseling, significant breakthroughs and renewed commitment can be the result.

 Who We Are  

Aletheia Marriage Counseling proudly serves partners throughout the picturesque state of Montana and beyond since 1979, fostering understanding, rekindling intimacy, and enhancing relationship well-being.

In couples therapy at Aletheia Marriage Counseling, serving Billings, MT and the surrounding communities, we utilize both the Gottman Method and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. These methods are rooted in extensive research on couple communication and interactions. From this substantial body of research, the Gottman Method and EFT have emerged as two leading therapeutic approaches for evidence-based marital therapy.

In Montana, there are only two fully certified Gottman therapists. Jim Ramsey was the first among them, having founded Aletheia Marriage Counseling in 1979, and he continues his dedicated work today. To achieve this certification, one must complete workshops, engage in study programs, undergo advanced training, and participate in consultation sessions with a certified counselor. 

What We Offer 

When it comes to resolving relationship conflicts, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. At Aletheia Marriage Counseling, we recognize that every couple has their own unique set of challenges. That’s why we offer a range of options for partners to choose from.

Couples Counseling for Billings Residents 

Our professional counselingseeks to fortify bonds by improving communication skills, encouraging partners to share their deepest and most intimate emotions. This approach contrasts with allowing superficial, defensive emotions to prevail, which often perpetuate the damaging cycles leading to relational dysfunction and continuous pain.

This option proves beneficial for partners navigating various relationship circumstances, including: 

• Co-parenting with an ex-spouse
• Couples preparing for engagement or marriage
• Individuals processing a divorce or separation
• Couples dealing with infidelity
• Couples dealing with past relational traumas 

At Aletheia Marriage Counseling, catering to Billings, MT and surrounding areas, we ground our approach in the research-based methodologies of the Gottman Method and Emotion-Focused Therapy. Our certified therapists aim to provide partners with immediate tools and skills to enrich their relationships. Additionally, we offer post-therapy coaching to ensure couples remain aligned with their relationship goals.

Intensive Marriage Counseling for Couples in Billings and Across Montana 

Intensive marriage counseling unfolds over a three-day weekend at Placid Lake in the Seeley Swan Valley. This intensive experience begins with an initial joint session, either online or in-person, followed by individual sessions with each partner. Through these preliminary meetings, the therapist acquires a comprehensive understanding of the relationship dynamics and the feelings each partner harbors based on their perceptions. 

At this point, the couple is guided to undertake the Gottman Couples Checkuponline. This helps identify specific dysfunctional behaviors and patterns in their relationship. They are also advised to purchase a manual detailing the findings of Gottman’s research, which assists in formulating their treatment plan.

In most instances, the next step is the Private Intensive Couples Therapy Weekend Retreat. This particular weekend of intensive marriage counseling is designed to be relaxing, non-threatening, and highly effective.

Why do couples favor this approach?  

• They want to identify and work on resolving issues as soon as possible
• They want marriage counseling that includes a diagnosis and treatment plan that is efficient and effective
• They want to make significant changes in a short amount of time
• They want to minimize frustrations, expenses, and travel time

Our Aletheia marriage specialist helps partners to get to the heart of their issues and realize significant shifts in a condensed period of time.

The Gottman Method of therapy benefits spouses through the use of the Relationship Checkup. The checkup provides partners with clear insights into their relationship, diagnosing the areas of dysfunctional relational skills and suggesting proven interventions for strengthening their partnership.

This method was borne out of three and a half decades of research with 3,000 couples to determine why relationships succeed or fail. It identifies damaging behaviors and reveals ways that committed spouses can strengthen their bond. 

Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotion-Focused Therapy is effective in understanding and eliminating dysfunctional emotional cycles that are particularly damaging, especially concerning perpetual issues. This therapeutic approach has emerged from decades of research on attachment issues, starting with babies and then children, and now it explores how these issues affect adults in their marriages. 

Preparing for Couples Counseling 

 A looming couples counseling session can bring up some strong emotions. But there are many things that spouses can do to ensure they’re prepared. 

 Talk About It 

 Conversing about what you both want to achieve from couples counseling and agreeing on these goals can help to calm any anxiety. You can identify goals by asking questions about how you wish to grow, how you currently manage conflict and what might make that easier, and whether you feel you listen to one another or not. 

 Be Realistic 

It's common for many to hope that a single counseling session can work immediate miracles or see therapists as a universal remedy for relationship woes. However, let's set the record straight: neither of these expectations is realistic. 

 The duration of couples counseling is unique to each couple, dictated by their specific issues, how long those problems have persisted, and other factors. Likewise, simply attending therapy won't magically solve all problems. Successful couples counseling demands active engagement and genuine effort from both partners. Overcoming relationship challenges necessitates commitment and hard work—there are no shortcuts or instant fixes.  

Be Committed 

Couples counseling only works if both partners are committed to correcting the issues and creating a healthier and more joyful relationship. They must be willing to stay the course and do what’s needed, for as long as it’s needed. However, compared to traditional counseling, this marriage counseling method is a “short-term therapy,” generally measured in hours rather than months or years. You will not be building “a dependency relationship” with your therapist as in many types of individual counseling. Your counseling will be educational and involve coaching.

Couples Group Therapy 

 Couples group therapy is ideal for couples who prefer to receive therapy with other couples. Led by a counselor with over four decades of experience, our group therapy option allows couples to learn about the struggles and goals of other couples, and work on resolving issues and reaching their goals together. 

Some of the benefits of couples group therapy include: 

• Sharing relationship struggles with other couples who can relate to them
• The ability to discuss results and insights of relationship work at home with other couples through online cogroup sessions
• Short 90-minute sessions
• Low cost 
• Building long-term relationships with other couples.

Couples group therapy offers a confidential space where spouses can be open and honest.

If you’re having relationship problems that you are ready to resolve, couples counseling from Aletheia can help. You can send a direct message to Jim Ramsey, or call (406) 251-7073.