Frequently Asked Questions about Relationship Coaching

• What is relationship coaching? Relationship coaching is a professional service that helps individuals and couples improve their relationships. Unlike therapy, which often explores past traumas and mental health diagnoses, coaching is present and future-focused. It's an action-oriented process designed to help you set clear goals, learn new skills (like communication and conflict resolution), and create a more fulfilling partnership.
• How can relationship coaching help? A coach provides an objective, neutral perspective to help you identify negative patterns, understand your relational needs (as well as the need of others), and develop practical tools to navigate disagreements. The goal is to strengthen your emotional connection, improve communication, and create a shared vision for your future.
• What topics are typically covered? Common topics include:
  • Improving day-to-day communication
  • Conflict resolution strategies
  • Rebuilding trust
  • Strengthening emotional and physical intimacy
  • Navigating major life transitions (e.g., empty nest, life changes,)
  • Defining shared goals and values
  • Managing external stressors (e.g., work, finances, family) as a team

Here are the key benefits of receiving relationship coaching as an individual, whether you are currently in a relationship or single.

The Benefits of Individual Relationship Coaching

Focusing on yourself is the most powerful and effective way to change any relationship dynamic. Here are the primary benefits:

 Gain Radical Clarity

   This is often the #1 benefit. A coach provides an objective, non-judgmental space to help you untangle your feelings. You'll get clear on what you truly want and need in a partnership, what your non-negotiables are, and whether your current relationship (or your dating patterns) align with those core values. 

Take Back Your Power

   It's easy to feel like a victim of your partner's actions or your circumstances. Coaching shifts you from a reactive state ("They always do this...") to an empowered, proactive one ("Here is how I will respond..."). You will learn to focus on the 50% of the relationship you can control: your own thoughts, actions, and reactions.

 Break Your Old Patterns

   You will identify the recurring themes and negative cycles in your relationship history. A coach helps you see your own blind spots—such as your attachment style, your common triggers, or your tendency to people-please—and gives you the tools to consciously break those patterns for good.

 Master Healthy Communication

   You will learn how to communicate your needs, feelings, and frustrations in a way that is clear, calm, and effective. This isn't about finding the "magic words" to change your partner; it's about learning to express your truth respectfully, which builds self-respect and changes the entire dynamic.

 Learn to Set (and Hold) Boundaries

   This is a life-changing skill. You'll learn to identify, create, and maintain healthy boundaries. This teaches others how to treat you and, most importantly, stops you from building resentment by over-giving or tolerating behaviors that don't work for you.

 Navigate Conflict Constructively

   You'll learn how to stop engaging in the same old fight. A coach gives you practical tools to de-escalate tension, listen to understand (even when you disagree), and stop getting defensive, allowing you to navigate conflict without causing more damage.

 Make Decisions with Confidence

   If you're facing a "should I stay or should I go?" dilemma, a coach will not make the decision for you. Instead, they will guide you through a process of exploration so you can arrive at your own answer with complete clarity and confidence, free from guilt or confusion.

 Prepare for a Healthy Future (Whether Single or Partnered)

   The skills you build in individual relationship coaching are yours for life.

   * If you're in a relationship, you will show up as a more grounded, confident, and effective partner.

   * If you're single, you will enter the dating world with a clear understanding of your worth, your needs, and how to spot red flags, ensuring your next relationship is your healthiest one.

• What is the main difference between relationship coaching and couples therapy? This is the most common question. The primary difference is the focus:
  • Therapy (or Counseling) is a form of mental healthcare. It often explores your past (like childhood or past relationships) to understand how it impacts your present. It is the appropriate choice for addressing deep-seated trauma, mental health conditions (like long-term depression or anxiety), or active addiction.
  • Coaching is goal-oriented and future-focused. It assumes you are healthy and whole, but need guidance and new skills to achieve your relationship goals. It focuses on how to move forward, not on why you are where you are.
• Should we see a coach or a therapist?
  • Choose a therapist if: You are dealing with unresolved trauma, infidelity, mental health issues, domestic violence, or active substance abuse.
  • Choose a coach if: You are generally in a stable place but feel "stuck." You want to break out of negative communication cycles, improve your connection, and be held accountable for making positive changes.

• What happens in a typical coaching session? Sessions are structured conversations. Your coach will act as an objective guide, asking powerful questions to help you gain clarity. You will do guided exercises to practice new communication techniques in a safe environment. Unlike a friend, a coach won't just listen; they will actively guide you toward your stated goals.
• Do we meet together or individually? This depends on the coach, but most relationship coaching involves sessions with both partners together. Some coaches may also include occasional individual sessions to understand each person's perspective more deeply.
• Will the coach take sides? No. A professional coach's role is to be an impartial, neutral third party. Their loyalty is to the relationship and the goals you have set together, not to either individual.
• Will there be "homework"? Yes. Coaching is action-oriented. The real progress happens between sessions when you apply the tools and insights you've learned. Expect to be given specific exercises, conversation prompts, or new behaviors to practice in your daily life.

• How long does coaching take? Coaching is typically a shorter-term engagement than therapy. We offer packages (e.g., 3-9 months) with a set number of sessions designed to help you achieve a specific goal. It is not usually an open-ended, weekly commitment.
• How long until I see results? This depends entirely on your commitment to the process. Many clients report feeling a positive shift in their dynamic after just a few sessions, simply by having a structured, safe space to talk. However, lasting change requires consistent effort from both partners.
• What if my partner won't come to coaching? While it's ideal for both partners to participate, you can still benefit from individual relationship coaching. A coach can help you gain clarity on your own needs, improve your side of the communication, and manage conflict more effectively, which can still positively impact the relationship dynamic.
• Is it too late for us? This is a common fear. The fact that you are considering coaching means there is still a part of you that wants to make it work. Coaching is effective as long as both partners are willing to be open, honest, and put in the effort to create change.

 No. A coach will never make that decision for you. A coach's job is to ask powerful questions to help you find your own clarity. They will help you create a vision for the relationship you want and identify the gap between that vision and your current reality. The decision to stay or go will be 100% yours, but you will make it from a place of clarity and confidence rather than confusion or fear.

While venting is sometimes part of the process, coaching is action-oriented and future-focused. You won't just talk about the problem; you'll create a plan to address it. You will leave sessions with specific tools, new perspectives, and "homework" (like practicing a new communication script) to implement in your life immediately.

Yes, absolutely. All coaching sessions are held in strict confidence. This creates the safe, non-judgmental space you need to be completely honest about your feelings, fears, and experiences, which is essential for the coaching process to be effective.

The end goal is your clarity. For some, that clarity leads them to re-engage with their partner in a new, healthier way that saves the relationship. For others, it gives them the strength and self-assurance to recognize that the relationship is over and to move on with confidence and peace. Both are considered successful outcomes.

The cost varies widely based on the coach's experience and location. It is almost never covered by insurance, as coaching is not considered a medical or mental health service. We offer a free Discovery Call (or "consultation") to see if you're a good fit before you commit financially. We offer multiple packages and pricing options. If both the client and coach agree it's a good fit to move forward with working together, during your Discovery Call your coach will work with you to design a best fit solution.