FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COUPLES COUNSELLING / COUPLES THERAPY

It’s best to seek support as soon as you notice that conversations keep turning into arguments, you feel misunderstood, or you’re growing apart. With a neutral, professional perspective, I can help you gain new insights into your relationship and discover new ways forward together.

A session typically lasts 90 minutes. Here’s an example of what a session might look like:

1. Quick check-in: How have you both been since our last session?

2. Focus on a topic: We work through a specific concern or conflict.

3. Exercises & insights: I use tailored techniques and interventions to help you gain new perspectives.

4. Wrap-up: We summarise the key takeaways and agree on a small “homework” task to put into practice in everyday life.

To prepare for our initial couples counselling session, take some time to think about what you hope to achieve through counselling and what you would like your relationship to look like afterwards.

After each session, I’ll usually suggest exercises or offer ideas for you to work on between sessions.

I offer online sessions only in exceptional circumstances for couples I already know. My work relies heavily on nonverbal cues, the atmosphere in the room and the small, often unconscious gestures between partners. These subtle nuances are difficult to fully perceive online.

My practice also provides a safe, dedicated space where you can leave everyday life behind and focus entirely on each other, without distractions from technology or daily routines.

If you don’t have childcare, you’re welcome to bring your baby along to the session. However, once babies start crawling or moving around, it can be harder to focus on the conversation.

Use your own judgement when deciding what works best for you. You know your baby and your own needs best!

Payment is due at the end of each session. You can pay in cash, by debit or credit card, or using Google Pay or Apple Pay. Unfortunately, PayPal is not accepted.

Yes, in exceptional circumstances.

My regular working hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. You can book sessions online with the latest available start time being 4:00 pm.

If you’re only available in the evenings, feel free to email me at katharina@hanseliebe.de, and I’ll see if I can arrange a later session.

You’ll gain clarity about your relationship, improve your communication and develop a deeper understanding of each other. You’ll learn to resolve conflicts constructively, allowing closeness and trust to grow. At the same time, you’ll discover new ways to navigate your differences and build a fulfilling, resilient relationship.

It really depends on your individual needs. For some couples, a single session is enough to gain a fresh perspective on their issues. Most couples achieve their goals within 3–8 sessions. Others choose to continue working together over several months, while some return every six months for a relationship check-in to address issues before they build up.

We’ll work together to find the approach that makes the most sense for you.

The terms couples counselling, couples therapy, marriage counselling, couples coaching and so on are not legally protected or clearly defined. They are often used interchangeably, and in practice, the boundaries between counselling and therapy can be fluid.

If we want to distinguish between them, couples counselling generally focuses on resolving specific conflicts, improving communication and changing relationship dynamics. It tends to be shorter-term, solution-focused and oriented towards the future.

Couples therapy, on the other hand, can go deeper, particularly when old patterns and underlying issues keep resurfacing. It helps couples understand the root causes of their difficulties and find lasting new ways of relating to one another.

I offer both, depending on your individual needs.

Couples counselling costs €175 (incl. VAT) for up to 90 minutes.

Yes, sessions can also be held in English.

Psychological counselling offers supportive, solution-focused and usually short-term help for people without a diagnosed mental health condition who are facing challenging life situations.

Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is a structured form of treatment for mental health conditions and disorders. It typically involves a diagnosis and aims to alleviate or treat these conditions.

I offer psychological counselling only, not psychotherapy.

Unfortunately not - couples counseling is not covered by health insurance.

Please cancel or reschedule appointments at least 24 hours in advance, either in writing (by email or text message) or by phone.

For cancellations made at shorter notice or missed appointments, a €50 cancellation fee will apply, as it is usually not possible to offer the time slot to another client at such short notice.

Please note that finding an alternative appointment may take some time, especially if you are only available in the evenings.

Yes. As a psychological counsellor, I am committed to confidentiality and discretion. Everything we discuss during our sessions remains confidential, including the fact that you are my clients.

So, if we happened to run into each other on the street, I wouldn’t acknowledge that I know you unless you approached me first.

You’re welcome to come on your own. Even one person making changes to the relationship dynamic can make a real difference. Often, when your partner sees the positive impact of the sessions, they become more open to joining later on.

Dogs are always welcome at my practice. However, in my experience, they can sometimes be a distraction and make it harder to stay focused.

So feel free to decide what works best for you. You know your dog and yourselves best!

Yes. While my main focus is supporting couples who want to better understand and strengthen their relationship, there is always room for both paths in the counselling process. Sometimes, through working together, it becomes clear that separating may be the right step.

If that happens, I’ll support you with care and impartiality as you gain clarity, maintain respectful communication and consciously navigate the next steps — especially when you continue to share responsibilities, such as raising children together.

To a certain degree, I do. Sexuality is often an important reflection of the dynamics within a relationship. In my counselling sessions, we explore sexual issues when they are linked to emotional distance, unresolved conflicts, communication difficulties or differing needs within the relationship.

However, if the main concerns are physical or medical in nature (e.g. pain, hormonal changes or sexual dysfunction), these are best addressed by a doctor or a specialised sex therapist. In such cases, I’m happy to offer additional support with the relationship aspects, but I don’t provide medical advice or sex therapy focused on physical concerns.