Couples & Marriage Counseling in Austin, TX

"Louis has helped my husband and I grow throughout the time leading up to our marriage as well as now that we are married. We both needed to grow in different ways and Louis was able to help us work on those areas while still nurturing our relationship. He helped us foster a healthy, happy and fulfilling marriage and has given us methods of effectively communicate with each other that we use every day."

marriage counseling

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About Couples & Marriage Counseling

In the sacred journey of togetherness, every couple encounters moments where the seas get turbulent and the path seems obscured. At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, we offer a haven for your relationship to anchor during these storms, facilitating a space where love is rekindled, connections are deepened, and conflicts find resolution. Whether your partnership is navigating through calm waters or weathering the storm, our specialized couples and marriage counseling in Austin, Texas, stands ready to guide you both toward rediscovering the harmonious rhythm of your unique love story.

"Very helpful and personable. Been seeing him for couple's counseling for several years and he's helped us through some tough times."

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Starting As Low As $100 Per Session!
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Marriage & Couples Counseling Statistics

The realm of couples and marriage counseling has seen significant engagement and tangible outcomes in recent years. Approximately 752,370 couples annually take the step to enter couples therapy, showcasing the trust and value people place in the process. This commitment to relationship well-being is further evidenced by the fact that 3.4% of households have sought guidance from a marriage or couples therapist. Beyond the relational benefits, there's a broader impact on individual health. Research indicates a noteworthy 21.5% reduction in healthcare use as a result of engaging in couples therapy. This underscores not only the emotional and relational advantages but also the physical and mental well-being enhancements that couples and marriage therapy can bring about.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Our Marriage Counseling Practice Areas

Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling provides a safe and supportive environment for partners to work through difficulties and rediscover their emotional connection. Our therapists help couples improve communication, navigate conflicts, and strengthen trust, ensuring that both partners feel heard and valued. Whether you're experiencing everyday relationship stress or deeper emotional disconnection, we offer personalized strategies to create lasting, meaningful change in your marriage.

Couples Counseling

Not all Austin couples seeking therapy are married—many partners want to proactively strengthen their bond before issues arise. Couples counseling provides a space to enhance intimacy, resolve misunderstandings, and set healthy relationship foundations. Our approach focuses on fostering mutual respect and understanding, helping couples navigate differences before they become long-term conflicts.

Premarital Counseling

Engagement is an exciting time, but it’s also a period of change and transition. Premarital counseling helps couples discuss expectations, values, communication styles, and conflict resolution strategies before saying “I do.” By working through potential roadblocks early on, partners can enter marriage feeling confident, aligned, and prepared for the journey ahead.

High Conflict Couples Counseling

Some relationships experience repeated cycles of intense arguments, emotional distance, or unresolved frustrations. High conflict couples counseling provides structured guidance to break toxic communication patterns and restore balance in the relationship. Our therapists help couples develop effective coping mechanisms, improve emotional regulation, and learn constructive ways to de-escalate conflict and rebuild trust.

Intensive Couples Counseling

For couples experiencing significant distress or feeling stuck in unresolved issues, intensive counseling offers a deep-dive approach to relationship healing. This method involves extended, focused therapy sessions designed to tackle deep-seated concerns, improve emotional responsiveness, and reignite intimacy. Whether you need a marriage reset or urgent intervention, our therapists provide tailored strategies for lasting, positive change.

Couples therapy

Infidelity Recovery Counseling

Recovering from infidelity is challenging, but healing is possible with honest communication, guided reflection, and professional support. Our infidelity recovery counseling helps couples navigate betrayal, rebuild trust, and redefine the relationship’s foundation. We create a safe space to process emotions, address underlying issues, and explore whether reconciliation is possible.

Couples therapy

Sex-Positive Couples Therapy

Intimacy plays a crucial role in relationship fulfillment, yet many couples struggle with communication around desires, boundaries, and expectations. Our sex-positive couples therapy creates a judgment-free space to discuss sexual concerns, enhance intimacy, and ensure both partners feel understood and valued. We encourage open conversations that promote healthy, fulfilling sexual dynamics within relationships.

Our Marriage Therapy Methodologies

Imago Therapy

Imago Therapy is a unique approach to marriage counseling that emphasizes the connection between unresolved issues from one’s past and current relationship dynamics. Developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix, this therapy focuses on fostering communication that moves beyond blame to understanding and empathy. By guiding couples to explore their childhood experiences and the subconscious images they have of love, Imago Therapy helps partners understand each other’s feelings and needs deeply, promoting healing and transformative connections within the relationship.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a highly effective form of couples therapy that centers on the emotional bonds between partners. Based on the principles of attachment theory, EFT seeks to strengthen or rebuild the emotional attachment by encouraging the expression of deep-seated emotions and needs. Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, this approach helps couples identify the patterns and cycles that drive their conflicts, enabling them to respond to each other in more loving and supportive ways, thus fostering a stronger, more secure bond.

Gottman Method

The Gottman method to couples therapy, developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, is grounded in over four decades of research with thousands of couples. This method emphasizes a nuts-and-bolts approach to improving relationship satisfaction and addresses areas from conflict management and intimacy to shared dreams and values. The Gottman method uses thorough assessments and practical interventions to help couples strengthen their relationships in three key areas: friendship and intimacy, conflict management, and creation of shared meaning. It is well-known for its effectiveness in revitalizing marriages by fostering respect, affection, and closeness.

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About Our Therapists

At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, we connect clients with many therapists who bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, specialties, and specific training to their practice. Our team includes licensed professionals trained in marriage counseling, couples therapy, and family therapy, ensuring that every couple receives tailored support based on their unique relationship dynamics. Learn more about our therapists below.

Meet Our Therapists

Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S

Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S, is a seasoned psychotherapist and clinical supervisor with over two decades of experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate emotional challenges through compassionate, evidence-based therapy.

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Kalee Gower, LCSW

Kalee Gower, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who blends curiosity, transparency, and evidence-based techniques to support clients in exploring identity, relationships, and personal growth.

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Robbie Price, LPC

Robbie Price, LPC, is a relationally focused therapist who specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction, using psychodynamic and interpersonal approaches to help individuals, couples, and groups achieve greater self-awareness and emotional well-being.

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How Does A Marriage Counselor Differ From a Family Therapist?

A marriage counselor focuses specifically on the relationship between partners, helping couples navigate conflicts, improve communication, and strengthen emotional bonds. The goal of marriage counseling is to address challenges within the partnership—such as trust issues, intimacy concerns, or recurring disagreements—while equipping couples with tools to build a healthier relationship.

A family therapist, on the other hand, takes a broader approach, looking at how relationships within the family unit influence a couple’s dynamic. Family therapy often involves multiple family members (such as children, in-laws, or co-parents) and addresses systemic issues, such as parenting struggles, generational trauma, or extended family conflicts. While family therapists can and do provide marriage counseling, their focus is often on the interconnected relationships within a family system rather than just the couple itself.

At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, we're trained marriage counselors and family therapists, allowing us to tailor treatment based on your specific relationship needs. Whether you’re seeking couples-focused support or a more holistic family therapist, we’re here to help.

Is Couples Therapy Really Worth It? Why Shouldn't We Just Break Up?

Couples therapy is absolutely worth it if you and your partner are open to understanding each other, improving communication, and working through challenges together. Every relationship goes through difficult periods, and many couples struggle with conflict, emotional disconnect, or trust issues at some point. The key question isn’t just whether you should stay together, but whether you’ve fully explored the possibility of repairing and strengthening your relationship before making a final decision.

With couples therapy, you're offered a structured, judgment-free space where both partners can express their needs, learn new ways to connect and break negative cycles that may seem impossible to fix alone. Many couples find that with professional guidance, they’re able to resolve deep-seated conflicts, rebuild trust, and rediscover the love that brought them together in the first place.

However, couples therapy isn’t just about saving relationships—it’s also about gaining clarity. If breaking up is truly the best option, therapy can help ensure the process is handled in a healthy, respectful way, especially if children or shared responsibilities are involved. Either way, couples therapy provides valuable insight and growth, whether the goal is reconciliation or moving forward separately in a way that fosters personal healing.

Other Frequently Asked Questions About Couples & Marriage Counseling

When should we consider marriage or couples therapy?

It’s often recommended that you seek marriage counseling when you notice recurring conflicts, communication issues, or emotional distancing that you’re unable to resolve on your own. Marriage counseling works best with early intervention to prevent these issues from escalating into more significant problems.

How many couples therapy sessions are typically needed?

The duration of marriage counseling and couples therapy varies, but many couples begin to see improvements within 8-12 sessions. The exact number of sessions depends on the complexity of the issues and the couple's commitment to the process. Some couples may benefit from ongoing sessions to improve their conflict resolution skills and maintain progress in a healthy relationship.

What if my partner refuses or is hesitant about counseling?

It's common for one partner to feel unsure about counseling. It's important to approach the topic with understanding and emphasize the potential benefits for your relationship before you start marriage counseling. Sometimes, attending an initial session together can help alleviate concerns and foster a mutual commitment to the process.

How does marriage counseling help me develop strategies for healthy communication?

Marriage counseling provides structured guidance to help couples improve the way they express their thoughts, emotions, and needs. A couples therapist teaches active listening techniques, conflict resolution skills, and ways to communicate relationship problems without blame or defensiveness. Through guided exercises, couples learn to recognize and break negative communication patterns, fostering more productive and meaningful conversations. Counseling also helps partners develop empathy and emotional awareness, ensuring both individuals feel heard and understood. Over time, these strategies lead to stronger connections, reduced conflict, and a healthier, more fulfilling relationship.

Does marriage counseling help with managing conflict?

Yes, marriage counseling is one of the most effective ways to manage and resolve conflict in a healthy, productive way. A therapist helps couples identify the underlying causes of their disagreements, whether they stem from miscommunication, unmet needs, or deeper emotional wounds. Through guided discussions and conflict resolution techniques, partners learn to express their concerns without escalating arguments and to listen to each other with greater understanding and empathy. Counseling also provides strategies for de-escalating tension, setting boundaries, and fostering compromise, helping couples break out of destructive cycles. By developing these skills, couples can navigate disagreements with less stress and greater emotional connection.

How Our Patients Feel

"Very helpful and personable.  Been seeing him for couple's counseling for several years and he's helped us through some tough times."

"Louis is a really great listener. He not only listens, but he HEARS you. I have never felt so understood by a therapist before. He is great at guiding you toward a more honest approach at an emotionally balanced life. He doesn't judge and is always welcoming. My appointments with Louis always left me feeling empowered and ready to face the week."

"I’ve been going here consistently for several years and have been nothing short of amazed at the experience (and results)."

Therapy

Trust The Licensed Marriage Therapists at Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S

At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, our licensed marriage therapists believe that relationships thrive when couples feel heard, respected, and supported. Whether you're looking to repair trust, navigate conflict, or strengthen your bond, our licensed therapists provide expert guidance tailored to your relationship’s needs. If you’re ready to invest in your relationship, we invite you to schedule a session today and begin your journey toward a stronger, healthier partnership.

Two Convenient Locations

Central Austin

601 W 18th Street
Austin, TX 78701

Our main office is located in a historic part of downtown Austin near the University. The office is a converted house that is inviting and cozy.

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Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S Central Austin location

North Austin

3818 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 300
Austin, TX 78759

Our north office is nestled in the hill country near the Spicewood Springs greenbelt. We’re on the 3rd floor across the street from Taco Shack.

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Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S North Austin Location
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Teletherapy and in-person therapy available.
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