Feeling apprehensive at the unknown can prevent us from going for a lot of things in life–but our relationships are important to us, so taking the risk here can be massively rewarding. But knowing this doesn’t often make it any less intimidating to jump into a process you know little about! If the fear of the unknown is holding you back from starting couples counseling, take some time to read through these points for a better idea of what goes on in couples therapy.

Just as with our individual therapy, couples counseling services will be specific to you and your relationship. There is no magic formula for a perfect relationship—we’re all unique with unique wants and needs–which means the goal of couples therapy isn’t to make your relationship perfect, but to help you discover what the needs of your relationship are, and how you can communicate them effectively and get them met within your relationship.