Couples Therapy · Ferndale, MI & Virtual

Short-Term Couples Therapy

Focused support for a specific challenge. Real tools you can use right away.

Not every couple needs months of therapy. Sometimes the most powerful thing is a clear framework, a skilled therapist, and a few focused sessions to get back on track.

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Targeted work. Meaningful change.

The problem does not have to be big for the work to matter.

Short-term couples therapy is not a lesser version of therapy. It is a different kind. Where long-term work is about deep excavation, short-term work is about clarity and skill. You come in with a specific challenge, and you leave with a shared understanding and a practical set of tools for navigating it.

Your therapist will help you identify a clear focus for your sessions and structure the work accordingly. If it becomes clear that longer support would serve you better, that conversation will happen openly and without pressure.

Sessions4 to 6 sessions

FrequencyEvery 1 to 2 weeks

Session length60 or 90 minutes

Typical duration6 to 12 weeks

Cost range$720 to $1,560

FormatIn-person or virtual

Schedule a Free Consultation

Every couple starts with a free consultation with Courtney.

Is This the Right Fit?

Short-term therapy tends to work well when...

You do not need to be in crisis to come to therapy. These are some of the situations short-term work is particularly suited to.

There is a specific issue to work through

A recurring argument, a breach of trust, a difficult transition, or a communication pattern you both want to change. Short-term work thrives with a clear focus.

You feel disconnected but not in crisis

Things have felt flat or distant, and you want to reconnect before that distance becomes something harder to bridge. Coming in early is one of the most useful things a couple can do.

A life transition has put strain on the relationship

A new baby, a job change, a move, a loss. Major transitions reshape how couples function together, and a few sessions of support can make a real difference.

You want to build skills before challenges arise

Newly committed or recently married couples who want practical tools from the start are an ideal fit. You do not need a problem to benefit from good communication skills.

Both partners are willing to engage

Short-term work moves faster and requires active participation between sessions. When both partners are motivated, even a small number of sessions can produce significant change.

You want to try therapy before committing to longer work

Starting with a short-term focus is a reasonable way to experience therapy, understand what it offers, and decide together what comes next. There is no obligation to continue beyond what feels useful.

How We Work

Evidence-based methods behind the sessions

Our therapists draw from the most rigorously researched approaches in couples therapy, adapted to what each couple most needs.

Gottman Method Learn More

Drawn from decades of research, the Gottman Method helps couples understand conflict patterns, build friendship, and increase emotional intimacy so you can turn toward each other even when things get hard.

Emotionally Focused Therapy Learn More

EFT, developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, is grounded in attachment science. It helps couples identify the negative interaction cycles driving their distress and replace them with more responsive, connected ways of engaging.

Attachment Theory Learn More

We help you understand your attachment styles and how early relational patterns shape your current dynamic, creating a path toward a more secure and trusting bond.

Mindfulness & Co-Regulation Learn More

Learn to stay present with each other, regulate your nervous systems during disagreements, and connect on a more embodied level together.

Grounded in Research

Why focused, structured couples therapy works

Structured approaches produce real, lasting results.

Two of the most well-researched frameworks in couples therapy are the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). Both were developed through decades of empirical study, both are used by trained therapists worldwide, and both are well-suited to the kind of focused, skill-based work that short-term therapy does best.

Gottman researchers identified specific, observable interaction patterns that predict whether a relationship thrives or deteriorates. Understanding those patterns, which is exactly what short-term therapy addresses, is the first step toward changing them. Per Gottman Institute research, 69% of relationship problems are perpetual, meaning they are rooted in genuine personality differences that do not go away. The couples who do best are not the ones without these differences. They are the ones who have learned to navigate them.

EFCT, developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and grounded in attachment science, is itself structured as a short-term model. Research from the International Centre for Excellence in EFT documents substantial treatment effect sizes with results that are maintained over time, even in briefer formats.

Getting Started

How a short-term program unfolds

Every couple begins with a free consultation with Courtney Sommers, LLPC, who coordinates couples care at Middle Way Wellness and matches you with the clinician who fits you best.

Free Consultation with Courtney

Share where things stand. Courtney helps you decide whether short-term work fits and matches you with your best-fit clinician.

Goal-Setting

With your therapist, you clarify the specific focus: what you most want to change, and what a successful outcome looks like for both of you.

Skill-Building Sessions

Your therapist introduces frameworks, you practice them in session, and you use them between appointments. The work is active, not passive.

Closing and Next Steps

You consolidate what shifted, name what you are taking forward, and decide together whether continued support would be valuable.

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Investment

Session fees and what to expect

Short-term therapy is one of the more accessible entry points into couples work. Your therapist will discuss which session length is likely to serve you best.

Session spacing also affects the total cost. Meeting every two weeks rather than weekly reduces the monthly outlay while keeping the work moving.

Start HereFreeInitial consultation with Courtney

60 Minutes$180Couples session

90 Minutes$260Couples session

Full Short-Term Program

60-Minute Sessions$720 to $1,0804 to 6 sessions

90-Minute Sessions$1,040 to $1,5604 to 6 sessions

Couples therapy should be within reach. Our sliding scale starts with your combined household income and household size. Tiers are based on 2026 HUD income limits for the Detroit-Warren-Livonia metro area, which includes Oakland County, so they reflect the real cost of living here.

Find your estimated fee

Choose your household size and combined yearly household income before taxes.

Household size

Combined yearly income

Additional financial hardship

For example: significant debt, medical or caregiving costs, supporting family members, job loss or reduced hours, or other necessary expenses. No documents needed.

Your estimated tier and session fees will appear here.

See all tiers

Tier	60 min	90 min
Tier AUp to 50% of area median income (up to $41,950 for a household of 2, $52,400 for 4)	$120	$175
Tier B50% to 80% of area median income (up to $67,100 for 2, $83,850 for 4)	$140	$200
Tier C80% to 100% of area median income (up to $83,900 for 2, $104,800 for 4)	$160	$230
Full feeAbove Tier C	$180	$260

More than income

Your therapist will also consider debt, necessary expenses, supporting others, job changes, and other hardships. You report this yourselves, and no documents are needed.

Limited spots

Each therapist holds a limited number of sliding scale spots. If none are open, we can add you to a waitlist or help you find other low-cost options.

Same care, kept private

Your fee never affects the quality of your care, and it stays confidential. Fees are reviewed every 12 months.

Ask about sliding scale availability during your free consultation with Courtney.

Couples therapy is private pay only. Insurance requires a diagnosis for one partner, but in relationship work we do not view one person as the problem. We focus on the partnership as a whole. A limited number of sliding scale spots are available for couples in financial distress, with 60-minute sessions from $120 and 90-minute sessions from $175 based on household income; ask about availability during your consultation. HSA and FSA funds may be accepted; check with your plan administrator to confirm your coverage before your first session.

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An Affirming Practice

Your unique relationship is welcome here

We provide a knowledgeable, affirming, and non-judgmental space for all couples.

LGBTQ+ Affirming Monogamous Couples Polyamorous & ENM Married & Non-Married All Cultural Backgrounds All Spiritual Backgrounds

Get Started

Schedule your free consultation with Courtney

No pressure, no commitment. Just a chance to share what is going on and take the first step together.

Courtney Sommers

LLPC · Gottman Level 2 Trained

All couples inquiries meet with Courtney first. In your consultation she will:

Listen to what brings you in and what you hope will change
Help you decide whether short-term work is the right fit
Match you with the best-fit clinician on our team

Schedule a Consultation

Couples therapy is private pay · Limited sliding scale spots available · HSA / FSA may be accepted; check with your plan administrator · In-person in Ferndale, MI · Virtual throughout Michigan
Exploring longer-term work? Learn about our long-term couples therapy program.

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do we get started, and how do we choose a therapist?

Every couples inquiry begins with a free consultation with Courtney Sommers, LLPC. She will listen to what brings you in, help you decide whether short-term work is a good fit, and match you with the clinician on our team who is best suited to your goals, schedule, and preferences. You do not need to figure out who to see on your own.

How will we know if short-term is enough?

Your therapist will help you assess this honestly as you go. At the end of your sessions, you will review what shifted and what is still feeling unresolved. Some couples find that four to six sessions genuinely resolves what brought them in. Others decide they want to continue. Either outcome is completely fine, and you will never be pushed toward more sessions than you actually need.

What if one of us is more hesitant about therapy?

This is very common. Short-term therapy is often a good fit for more skeptical partners precisely because the commitment is bounded. You are not signing up for an open-ended process. You are agreeing to a small number of sessions with a clear focus, and you can reassess from there. Most couples where one partner was reluctant report that the experience felt different from what they expected.

What does a typical session look like?

Sessions are structured and guided by your therapist, but they are also genuinely conversational. You might spend part of a session discussing what came up since your last appointment, part of it practicing a specific framework or skill, and part of it having a facilitated conversation about something you have been avoiding. Your therapist is active, not just reflective, and will give you things to work with between sessions.

What is Emotionally Focused Therapy?

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based approach to couples therapy developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and grounded in attachment theory. It helps partners recognize the negative cycle they get caught in during conflict, understand the emotions and needs underneath it, and create a more secure, responsive bond. Both of our couples therapists have training in the fundamentals of EFT and draw on it alongside the Gottman Method.

Can we start short-term and shift to longer work if needed?

Yes, and it happens often. Starting short-term is never a wrong move. If your therapist senses that deeper or longer support would serve you better, they will raise that conversation openly, usually within the first few sessions. You are always the one who decides what to do next.

Is therapy available virtually?

Yes. Sessions are available in-person at our Ferndale, MI office or via secure HIPAA-compliant video for any couple in Michigan. Both formats offer the same quality of care.

Do you accept insurance?

Couples therapy is private pay only. Insurance requires a diagnosis for one partner, but in relationship work we do not view one person as the identified problem. HSA and FSA funds may be accepted; check with your plan administrator. A limited number of sliding scale spots are available for couples in financial distress, with 60-minute sessions from $120 and 90-minute sessions from $175 based on household income; ask about availability during your consultation.