Strengthen Your Connection, Rebuild Your Bond

Our couples counseling provides a supportive space to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and rediscover the joy and intimacy in your relationship.

✔ Typically 50 minutes

✔ In-person or Secure Telehealth Sessions Offered

✔ Frequency of Sessions Tailored to Your Needs

a couple hugging and smiling

What Is Couples Counseling?

Couples counseling is a specialized form of therapy designed to help partners improve their relationship. Whether you're experiencing ongoing conflicts, recovering from a breach of trust, navigating a major life transition, or simply wanting to deepen your connection, couples counseling provides a structured, supportive environment to address relationship challenges and build stronger bonds.

At Raincross Family Counseling, couples sessions typically last 50 minutes and can be conducted in-person at our Riverside or Corona locations, or via secure telehealth platforms.

Our therapists work with couples at all stages of relationship—from newly committed partners to those who have been together for decades—and with diverse relationship structures and backgrounds.

Our approach focuses not only on resolving current issues but also on building skills and understanding that strengthen your relationship for the long term.

Individual therapy can help with a wide range of concerns, including:

Communication Difficulties

Pre-marital Preparation

Considering Divorce

Recurring Conflicts & Arguments

Intimacy/Connection Challenges

Managing External Stressors Affecting the Relationship

Parenting Disagreements

Major Life Transitions

Blending Families

Trust Issues

Rebuilding After Betrayal

Our Approach
To Couples Counseling

At Raincross Family Counseling, we believe that healthy relationships are built on understanding, respect, and effective communication. Our approach to couples counseling is guided by these key principles:

✔ Safe, Balanced Environment

We create a therapeutic space where both partners feel heard, respected, and supported. Our therapists maintain neutrality and ensure that each person has the opportunity to express their perspective without judgment or blame.

✔ Focus on Patterns, Not People

Rather than labeling either partner as "the problem," we help you identify and understand the interaction patterns that create difficulties in your relationship. This non-blaming approach allows both partners to work together as allies against the problem rather than opponents.

✔ Skills Development

Beyond discussing current issues, we help you develop practical communication, conflict resolution, and emotional regulation skills that you can apply outside of therapy sessions.

✔ Cultural Sensitivity

Our deep roots in the diverse Riverside community inform our understanding of how cultural factors influence relationships. We provide culturally responsive care that respects and incorporates the unique backgrounds, values, and beliefs that shape your relationship.

✔ Tailored to Your Relationship

We recognize every relationship is unique. Our therapists take the time to understand your specific history, challenges, strengths, and goals before collaboratively developing a treatment plan tailored to your relationship's needs.

✔ Evidence-Based Methods

Our couples therapists draw from proven therapeutic approaches, including:

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to identify negative interaction patterns and foster secure emotional bonds

  • The Gottman Method to build friendship, manage conflict, and create shared meaning

  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to identify practical solutions and build on existing relationship strengths

  • Narrative Therapy to help couples develop new, more constructive stories about their relationship

  • Faith-Based Couples Counseling that integrates spiritual beliefs, practices, and values with an evidence-based therapeutic approach

Throughout the counseling process, we continuously assess progress and adjust our approach as needed, ensuring that therapy remains aligned with your evolving relationship goals.

The Benefits of
Couples Counseling

Engaging in couples counseling at Raincross can lead to significant positive changes in your relationship.

Couples counseling is an investment in your relationship that can yield benefits throughout your lives together, helping you build a connection characterized by mutual respect, understanding, and joy.

1. Improved Communication

Develop skills to express needs, listen effectively, and navigate difficult conversations without escalating into harmful conflict.

2. Deeper Understanding

Gain insights into each other's emotional worlds, including underlying needs, fears, and desires that influence your interactions.

3. Effective Conflict Resolution

Learn to address disagreements constructively, turning potential arguments into opportunities for growth and understanding.

4. Renewed Intimacy

Rebuild emotional and physical connection, creating greater closeness and satisfaction in your relationship.

5. Shared Vision

Clarify your values and goals as a couple, creating a meaningful shared path forward that honors both individual and relationship needs.

6. Resilient Partnership

Build your capacity to navigate future challenges together, strengthening your relationship's foundation to withstand life's inevitable stresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Couples counseling can benefit relationships at any stage—whether you're experiencing significant distress or simply want to strengthen an already good relationship. If you're facing recurring conflicts, feeling disconnected, navigating a difficult transition, or wanting to deepen your bond, couples therapy may be helpful. Our initial consultation can help determine if our approach aligns with your relationship needs.

  • It's common for one partner to be more hesitant about couples counseling than the other. We welcome conversations with the more interested partner about how to approach this situation. Sometimes sharing information about the process or suggesting an initial session to "just try it out" can help. In some cases, individual therapy for one partner can also be beneficial, though the most effective work on relationship issues happens when both partners participate.

  • Your first session focuses on understanding your relationship's history, current challenges, and goals for therapy. Your therapist will meet with you as a couple and may also spend some time with each of you individually. This is your opportunity to share concerns, ask questions, and get a feel for whether the therapist is a good fit for your relationship. Together, you'll begin developing a plan for moving forward.

  • The duration varies widely depending on your specific concerns, goals, and commitment to the process. Some couples find significant improvement in 8-12 sessions, while others benefit from longer-term therapy. We regularly review progress with you and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. Our goal is to provide the support you need for as long as it's helpful, without creating unnecessary dependency.

  • No. Our therapists maintain neutrality and balance, creating space for both partners to be heard and understood. Rather than assigning blame, we focus on understanding patterns of interaction and helping both partners contribute to positive change. The relationship itself is our client, not either individual partner.

  • Couples counseling can be valuable even when a relationship's future is uncertain. For some couples, therapy helps rebuild the relationship; for others, it provides clarity about whether to stay together. In cases where separation is the chosen path, therapy can help facilitate a more amicable, respectful process and, when children are involved, support the transition to effective co-parenting.

  • Yes, many sexual difficulties are connected to the broader relationship dynamics that we address in couples counseling. Our therapists are trained to discuss intimacy concerns with sensitivity and professionalism. For specialized sexual health issues, we may also provide referrals to certified sex therapists when appropriate.

  • Yes, we offer faith-based couples counseling that integrates spiritual beliefs and values into the therapeutic process. For couples who share a faith tradition, this approach can incorporate scripture, prayer, and spiritual principles that are meaningful to your relationship while utilizing evidence-based therapeutic techniques. Our faith-based counseling respects your specific beliefs and denominational preferences. This approach is entirely optional—we serve couples of all faith backgrounds and those with no religious affiliation with equal care and respect.

  • Absolutely. Raincross Family Counseling is committed to providing affirming, respectful therapy for couples of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationship structures. Our therapists recognize both the universal aspects of relationships and the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ couples may face.

  • Starting couples counseling is simple. You can call our office at (951) 977-3638, email us at raincrossfc@gmail.com, or complete our online request form. We'll gather some basic information, discuss your needs and preferences, and match you with an appropriate therapist. New couples typically can schedule an initial appointment within 1-2 weeks.

Rediscover the Strength in Your Relationship

With compassionate guidance and effective tools, you can turn these challenges into opportunities for deeper connection and lasting harmony.