What is the difference between marriage counseling and couples therapy?

In practice, very little — the terms are used interchangeably, and the words people use often depend on where they live. Both describe working with a licensed therapist to strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and change unhelpful patterns. Annie offers both.

Do both partners need to attend every session?

Usually yes, since the work is about the relationship between you. There are times Annie may meet with each partner individually, but couples work is most effective when both people are in the room.

Can marriage counseling help after infidelity?

Yes. Rebuilding trust after betrayal is difficult but possible, and it is some of the work Annie is trained to guide. Using structured, evidence-based methods, couples can move from crisis toward genuine repair.

Marriage Counseling & Couples Therapy

What It Is

Help for the Distance That Crept In

The words matter less than the work. Couples therapy and marriage counseling are two names for the same care.

Marriage counseling — sometimes called couples therapy — is focused, structured work to change the patterns that leave partners feeling unheard, unseen, or alone in the same house. Whether you are in crisis, healing after betrayal, or simply want a stronger and more secure partnership, the goal is the same: to help you understand each other again.

Annie Harton Kassell, LMFT, works with couples in Indianapolis and online across Indiana and the other states where she is licensed. Her care is anchored in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method — two of the most researched, effective approaches to relationship repair.

Who It's For

Couples at Every Stage

Dating couples deciding whether to take the next step. Engaged partners building a foundation. Married couples navigating conflict, disconnection, parenting stress, or the slow drift that can settle in after years together. And couples rebuilding trust after an affair or a painful rupture.

You do not have to be in crisis to come. Some of the most meaningful work happens with couples who are simply tired of the same argument and ready for something better.

The Approach

Communication, Trust, and Real Change

Using the Gottman Method and EFT, you will learn to name what is really happening underneath the conflict, to repair after disagreements, and to rebuild the friendship and safety that hold a marriage together. Sessions are practical and warm — you leave with tools, not just insight.

For couples who want it, a Christian or Catholic perspective can be woven into the work; for those who do not, faith is set fully aside. The relationship in front of Annie is always the center.

Common Questions

Questions People Often Ask

A few things people want to know before they reach out.

What is the difference between marriage counseling and couples therapy?: In practice, very little — the terms are used interchangeably, and the words people use often depend on where they live. Both describe working with a licensed therapist to strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and change unhelpful patterns. Annie offers both.
Do both partners need to attend every session?: Usually yes, since the work is about the relationship between you. There are times Annie may meet with each partner individually, but couples work is most effective when both people are in the room.
Can marriage counseling help after infidelity?: Yes. Rebuilding trust after betrayal is difficult but possible, and it is some of the work Annie is trained to guide. Using structured, evidence-based methods, couples can move from crisis toward genuine repair.
Do you offer couples counseling online?: Yes. Annie sees couples in Indianapolis and by secure video across Indiana and the other states where she is licensed, so you can meet from home without arranging childcare or a commute.

Explore Annie's other services

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