Online couples therapy is live relationship counselling with a trained therapist by secure video call, giving you both a private, structured space to understand what is going wrong, talk to each other more honestly and decide how you want the relationship to move forward. It works whether you share a home or live apart, although it is not the right format for every couple, and safety comes first.
Our therapists offer couples counselling in Dublin, Galway and through our online therapy service, so you can choose the setting that suits you both.
How online couples therapy works in Ireland
Online couples therapy is not a self-guided course or an app, and it is not mediation, which helps separating couples agree practical arrangements. It looks at the relationship itself: how you speak to each other, what keeps going wrong and what each of you needs.
On a screen, the work is the same as it would be in person – making sense of what keeps happening between you. You choose a therapist, book an appointment, fill in any forms you are sent and attend a first session, where you agree goals for the sessions that follow.
Your therapist stays neutral. Their job is not to decide who is right, but to notice the patterns you fall into and teach practical skills for listening and handling conflict. Our therapists draw on different approaches, because we don't think one method suits every couple.
Nobody can tell you in advance how many sessions you will need, and a therapist who claims otherwise is worth a second look. Regarding timing, Mind and Body Works leaves the length and frequency of sessions to you and your therapist, because some couples want weekly support through a hard patch while others space sessions out once things have settled.
What a first online session involves
In the first session, your therapist will usually ask about your history together, why you have come now, how each of you sees the problem and what still works between you. They will also check that online sessions suit you both. Later sessions look at the dynamics underneath your arguments, practising how to listen without defending yourself and agreeing small things to try between appointments.
A little preparation makes a real difference:
- Before the session, test your connection, choose a private room, agree that neither of you will record the call and note one or two shared goals.
- During the session, speak honestly, give each other equal time and put phones and notifications away.
- After the session, give yourselves some time to decompress, avoid restarting the argument straight away and practise whatever you agreed to try.
Headphones help if anyone else is in the house, and a few free minutes either side of the call mean you are not rushing in from a work meeting. Beyond that, come consistently, look at patterns rather than blame and tell your therapist early if something isn't working for either of you.
Relationship problems couples therapy can help with
Some couples keep having the same argument. Others feel like flatmates, with little intimacy left. Trust difficulties and affairs are common reasons to seek help, and our post on whether a relationship can survive infidelity looks at this in depth. Others are struggling with parenting disagreements, money, a move abroad, grief, fertility or sexual difficulties.
Therapy can help you understand what sits underneath the conflict. The row about the dishwasher is rarely about the dishwasher; it may be about feeling unappreciated or unheard. Once you can see the cycle you both get caught in, you can start to respond differently, rebuild trust and find healthier ways to deal with conflict.
It is also worth saying that counselling is not only for crises. Plenty of couples use it to get through a period of change, such as becoming parents, before small problems harden. Therapy cannot guarantee that you stay together, and it won't end every disagreement. It can help you make a clear, respectful decision about your future, whether that means staying together or separating well.
Online therapy for long-distance and reconnecting couples
If you have drifted apart after a new baby, illness or years of long working hours, a regular online session gives you protected time together that the rest of life keeps crowding out. It is a space to rebuild curiosity about each other, trust and shared routines.
Long-distance couples therapy works the same way. Each partner joins the same secure appointment from their own private space, whether you are in different homes, different counties or different countries. A few practical points matter here:
- Agree a time that works across time zones, so neither of you is joining exhausted at midnight.
- Check that both connections are reliable, and agree with your therapist what happens if a call drops.
- If one partner lives outside Ireland, ask the therapist before booking whether they can work with someone in that country, as professional rules on practising across borders vary.
Online sessions also suit couples managing childcare, disability, travel or demanding work schedules, though some still find face-to-face sessions easier.
How online and face-to-face couples counselling compare
Research suggests that couples therapy by video can work well, although the evidence base is still small. A randomised trial published in Frontiers in Psychology in February 2022 compared couples therapy by videoconferencing with face-to-face sessions for 30 couples. Relationship satisfaction, mental health and the bond with the therapist improved in both groups, with no difference between them. It was a small study, so we wouldn't claim the two are always equivalent, but it does mean you needn't treat online sessions as second best. How much you engage, and how well you fit with your therapist, matter more.
| Consideration | Online couples therapy | Face-to-face couples therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and time | No commute; easier to fit around work and childcare | Travel to our Dublin or Galway rooms |
| Body language | Your therapist sees less of how you sit and move | Your therapist sees the whole interaction |
| Technology | Depends on a stable connection at both ends | No technical interruptions |
| Room and privacy | You arrange a private space at home | Managed by the practice |
There are situations where couples seeing a therapist online is not appropriate, or needs careful assessment first: coercive control, fear of a partner, ongoing violence, being unable to speak privately, an acute crisis or any worry that honesty could make things more dangerous. In those situations, individual support is usually the safer starting point. Couples therapy is not a substitute for emergency or specialist help. Women's Aid runs a 24-hour freephone helpline on 1800 341 900, and Men's Aid runs a confidential national helpline on 01 554 3811, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
If you are in immediate danger, call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department. You can also call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, or see the HSE's urgent and emergency care page.
Choosing a qualified online couples therapist
Look for specific training and experience in couples work, not only general counselling, because staying fair to two people at once is a skill of its own. Check membership of a recognised Irish professional body too. You can search the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) directory or the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) directory.
Before you book, ask about their approach, their experience with your concern, their fees and cancellation policy and what happens if the technology fails mid-session. The fit between the therapist and the couple matters as much as qualifications: you should both be able to raise a concern without feeling the therapist has taken a side. Each of our therapists has a profile on our website showing who they work with, so you can see which of them see couples before you get in touch.
FAQs
How much does online couples therapy cost in Ireland?
Fees vary between practices and therapists. Our current fees are on our prices page, and it is worth checking whether your health insurance or workplace assistance programme covers some sessions.
Do both partners need to join every online couples therapy session?
Couples usually attend together, but a therapist may suggest an individual session with each partner at the start or along the way. If that happens, your therapist should explain beforehand how anything shared in an individual session will be handled, so neither of you is caught off guard.
Is online couples therapy private and confidential?
Sessions should take place on a secure video platform, and what you say stays confidential, with limited exceptions such as a serious risk of harm or a child protection concern. Your therapist will explain these limits at the start. Your privacy also depends on choosing a room where you can't be overheard. Under data protection law you have rights over the personal information a practice holds about you, which the Data Protection Commission sets out.
What if one partner is reluctant to try couples therapy online?
Talk about their worries without pressure, ask what would make it feel safer and suggest a single session before committing to more. If they still say no, you can come on your own for individual counselling. It is not the same as couples therapy, but it can help you understand your part in the relationship and what you want next.
Taking the next step
Before you book, try to agree on one shared reason for coming, even something as simple as "we want to stop having the same fight". It gives your first session a starting point. You don't need to wait until things reach breaking point; reaching out early is a sensible thing to do, not a sign that you have failed.
Whenever you feel ready, you can book an online couples session, or contact our team if you would like help choosing a therapist or want to check current availability online or in Dublin or Galway.