If is about resolving your past and staging you for a healthy present; and
if is to walk with you in your journey from present to a bright future
Marriage Counseling and Relationship Coaching
[we offer both]
[We Directly Talk about & Focus on Your Best Solutions]

Marriage Counseling & Relationship Coaching
- similar goals; different approaches and applicability
Marriage Counseling
#1. Diagnosis & Issues driven
#2. Problem Focussed
#3. Ideal if Mental Health is also a problem
Combining the Two
Even the GOALS can be different in seeking help from a Marriage Counselor (Psychotherapist) and / or Couples Coach. And YES, you can avail both.
Relationship Coaching
#1. Results driven
#2. Opportunity Focussed
#3. Ideal for all seeking quicker yet effective results
Marriage Counseling: Practitioner is an expert / Relationship Coaching: Practioner is an informed partner
Marriage Counseling: helps heals / Relationship Coaching: helps achieve goals
Marriage Counseling: Limited off session contact with Practitioner / Relationship Coaching: Unlimited messaging support
- IF NOT DIAGNOSED WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS- ENGAGING A COUPLES COACH IS A WIN-WIN even if diagnosed; READ BELOW
Duration
Marriage Counselor (Psychotherapists) attend to issues even relating to mental health if that is in play in relationship crisis. If not diagnosed, you may just seek Relationship Coaching.
- Marriage Counseling can last anywhere from months to years and is paid by the session.
- Relationship Coaching is mostly weeks to months and negotiated in packages.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRACTITIONER
Marriage Counselors is more in a position of an expert and directs the flow, duration and process following a technique or method. Relationship Coaching is more like hashing it out in candid spirits with an informed friend.
- Marraige Counseling sessions are serious and objective and is subject to a code followed by the Practitioner.
- Relationship Coaching is delivered with fair mix of candidness, humor and yet direct as much as intense.
Orientation and Approach
Marriage Counseling is systematic, follow professional ethics and is both process and method driven. Relationship Coaching is relatively informal, proactive, futuristic goals driven tending to a much shorter time-line with straight, direct yet intense conversations.
- Marriage Counseling addresses 'What's the problem', 'why so', and achieves to resolve the differences.
- Relationship Coaching is more about - what's possible now given the present situation.
INSURANCE
Marriage Counseling is generally covered by insurance. Or if paid in cash, may be reimbursed by most health insurance plans. Relationship Coaching is not covered by insurance. However, please note the differences below –
- Marriage Counseling, even if covered by insurance, entails payments for several months of coinsurance or deductible before insurance can be made to pay for the sessions. This can become a relatively longer term cost.
- Relationship Coaching is mostly out of pocket but for weeks or months; but not more than 3-6 months. Also, if advised by a Counselor; it may be paid out of HSA / FSA health savings account under a tax expert's advice.
- COMBINING COACHING WITH COUNSELING- BENEFITS ARE COMPLEMENTARY NOT OVERLAPPING
Benefits of a marriage counseling
Marriage Counseling can be deeply related to mental health issue(s) and has unmatched lasting benefits.
- It is more about the past and the present.
- Emphasis is more around feelings, thoughts and emotions in resolving the differences.
- It does take time – medium to long term benefits.
- Since Counseling is process driven, meeting agenda is more in control of the Practitioner.
- Helps with analyzing fears; helps even unmotivated clients; sessions are time-distanced as weekly or twice in a month, sometimes just monthly; not time-bound; helps alleviate dysfunctions caused by the diagnosis.
Benefits of Relationship Coaching
Relationship Coaching is fairly new avenue for couples’ problems and while it does not address mental health related issues; it can modify it’s scope to include and help other areas of life.
- It is more about the present and the future.
- Emphasis is more on taking action around goals to resolve the differences.
- It is more immediate and can take longer but cannot last more than 2-6 months.
- Meeting agenda can be proposed by the clients.
- Helps more with removing fears, helps clients motivated to achieve a goal or a result; sessions can be dictated by need or even clients themselves; it can be as frequent as twice or even thrice in a week to once in 2 weeks; very much time-bound by appointed GOALS; helps clients to be able to combat future relationships issues by leaving enough proactive exercises and routines to follow.
... it is not one versus the other; they are different
- GET YOU ON A PATH OF RECOVERY - HOW CAN we HELP YOU A time efficient recovery and an effective one
Step #1
We set you up for an immediate 'FREE' RELATIONSHIP COACHING session
Our approach is different but it is very objective to the time and pressing concerns of your relationship.
Step #1
Step #2
We deliver our Coaching Session on the appointed date and time
In this session, we help assess your issues (Coaching style); if diagnosed with any mental health issues - line you up with a veteran Marriage Counselor at a discounted rate (if cash); answer any of your questions in relation to the distinctions between Marriage Counseling and Relationship Coaching.
Step #2
Step #3
Counseling, Coaching or BOTH
We offer discounts if you engage us for both. No matter what, we make sure you get your Marriage Counseling or Relationship Coaching sessions on time from two different providers. We stay with you for the entire time you keep our providers engaged.
Step #3
Step #4
Channel back to your Provider(s) on your Progress
In case of dual engagements, our providers seek your HIPAA authorizations so that they align their services with an integrated approach. Such approach has brought enormous benefits to our patrons in the recent past.
Step #4
Step #5
it is never over for us to look out for you
No matter the outcome of our services, we remain available for you to reach us anytime with questions, clarifications or any other requests. And we respond to them in utmost generosity without doctor's office like bureaucratic responses.
Step #5
under promise over deliver - is how I roll
- OUR BEST EFFORT TO ANSWERING - ALL YOUR QUESTIONS REACH US WITH MORE Qs.
Is it the same or different providers for Counseling and Coaching?
We have different providers for the two services. We do not combine methods and approaches and code and ethics for both - our providers and our clients. Their goals and their methods are completely different and hence more complementing each other.
Who are the providers?
Couples Coaching is provider by Coach Alishba. Feel free to read about her on this site. And for Marriage Counseling, we collaborate our services with sought after veteran Marriage Counselor depending on your neighborhood and your preference for or not for insurance.
So, is it not an additional cost burden for me to hire a Coach?
Another great and financially wise question. Indeed so. And you are right, engaging a Coach will create an additional financial commitment for you. But only in the short run. If you are really in a serious health situation that may last longer than just a few months; in that case instead of paying so many months worth of out of pocket costs even after using your insurance, you will be better off engaging a Coach for a few intermittent months and avoid continuous out of pocket commitment over the long run. Several studies show that engaging a Coach can help speed your recovery because of the continuous feedback loop created by the Coach that can help the Counselor. This cost consideration is especially true in case of relationship or marriage or couples coaching along side Marriage Counseling. You can stand to benefit immensely saving your relationship than go on about for months. Not to mention, now there will be not one but two professionals helping you with your situation.
Do you accept insurance?
We do. But only for the Marriage Counseling part. For the Couples Coaching part, you have to pay in cash. You may decide to use your HSA 'Health Savings Account' if your Marriage Counseling writes a note for your prescribing Coaching and under the tax advice by your tax accountant or tax expert. We can guide you step by step. Let us know and we can help you in the right direction.
So, how does this work?
Simple, you reach us in any way you wish to reach from our website. We immediately get you down for a FREE Couples Coaching session. You will love both our approach and our generosity in the way we help. We then depending on the paths figured in that session, line up our providers for you.
Where and how often will I meet with a Coach?
At My Private Life Coach, all your sessions will be mostly over a conference call (video or audio). You can expect to see a Coach initially every week or more often and then once in a week or once in every 2 weeks for an effective Coaching experience.
How much am I looking to spend in Coaching services?
This is subjective to your need and pressing nature of your situation. For Relationship Coaching, we try to get you to a 'I can help myself from here' point within 3-12 sessions. Our Coaching services typically go from a range of $75 - $200 per session (not hourly) depending on the urgency and/or severity. One important note - my sessions are not timed - they go from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Coaching mostly work with commitment in time and hence we render services under a package. Please ask us for more information. And also ask for discounts.
Are there any guarantees or refunds?
No. There are no guarantees in life. You can take 15-20 minute FREE, no-obligations session to speak with me and get to know me and my services more. And there are no refunds.
Can I save some costs if I pay for sessions in advance?
Yes, indeed. We one up your commitment. Please ask for discounts if you are ready to commit and prepay 3 months or more at a time. We also discount you if you engage both our services. Ask us.
Do I get all the email and messenging support between the sessions?
You can reach us just about anytime you want via email or a messaging service of your choosing. We are there to make sure you do all your little steps right and all the time until you are out of the woods. And even after.
no pushy sales process
no obligations | this is only to learn how we can help for | as you judge us