Couples therapy

Couples Therapy in Linz — in English and German

Sometimes it is not one person who needs support, but what lies between two people. I work with couples who want to understand what keeps repeating in their relationship — in English, in German, or moving between both. Many of the couples I see live internationally: relocated, bilingual, or spanning two cultures.

Concerns

Why couples come

The occasions are as different as the couples themselves. Often, it is one of these six.

Recurring conflict

The same argument in ever-new costumes — and the sense that it stopped being about the trigger long ago. We look together at the pattern underneath the arguments, rather than refereeing any single one.

Silence and distance

No loud conflict, but a quiet side-by-side: parallel lives under one roof, conversations reduced to logistics, a closeness that slipped away without anyone deciding it should.

Trust after a rupture

An affair, a secret, a deep disappointment — something broke, and both of you are asking whether and how to go on. Couples therapy offers a frame in which what happened can be spoken and understood, without one person sitting alone in the dock.

Two languages, two cultures

Relationships that span two languages or backgrounds carry their own, often invisible load: Who translates for whom? Whose unspoken assumptions count as normal? In session, both partners get the same linguistic footing.

Upheaval and new beginnings

A move abroad, the birth of a child, a career turn — transitions that reshuffle a relationship. What used to carry you suddenly carries differently; couples therapy helps you shape the new order together.

Staying or leaving?

Some couples come not to save the relationship, but to find clarity. That has its place here too: an honest weighing without pressure in either direction — and, if that is where the decision lands, shaping a separation that leaves both of you your dignity.

Approach

How I work with couples

My work is grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy, joined with a depth-psychological understanding of attachment and transference dynamics. The focus is less on communication technique and more on understanding: what is actually happening between two people when the same pattern keeps returning? Which older experiences are speaking, when a word lands so much harder than it was meant?

Both partners have the same standing in the room. I am not a referee and do not decide who is right — my task is to help you understand each other accurately, so that you can choose together how you want to go on. The therapeutic relationship with both partners equally is the working instrument, not merely the friendly container.

For couples living between two languages or cultures, sessions can run in English, in German, or mixed — so that no one has to translate under pressure, and every feeling can be said in the language it is at home in. I have written more about this in Couples therapy across languages and cultures.

A shared starting point

The FIRA-C: making the relationship visible

From my research comes an instrument of my own, the FIRA-C (Fuente Interpersonal Relationship Assessment for couples). Each partner separately describes the emotional atmosphere of the relationship; you then compare the two pictures. Differences are expected — and usually the most interesting part: they show where your experiences of the same relationship have quietly drifted apart.

The FIRA-C takes about ten minutes, stores nothing, and is an offer, not a requirement. Some couples bring their results to the first session; it makes a revealing shared starting point.

Try the FIRA-C More about the FIRA family →

Framework & fees

Practical details

Session length: 75 minutes (couples session)
Frequency: By arrangement — often at wider intervals than individual therapy
Setting: In person at the practice or online (video sessions)
Languages: English · German · mixed
Hours: Monday to Friday, 12:00–19:00
Sunday, 14:00–18:00

Fee per couples session: € 160 (75 minutes)
First conversation: The first conversation is a regular couples session (75 minutes, € 160). Unlike in individual therapy, I do not offer a free initial consultation for couples.
Insurance reimbursement: Couples therapy is generally not reimbursed by Austrian health insurers. The fee is paid privately.
Payment: Monthly invoice or cash payment in session
Cancellations: Free of charge up to 48 hours before the appointment. After that, the full fee applies.

Common questions

Questions about couples therapy

What if my partner is skeptical about couples therapy?

That is common — and no obstacle. Skepticism is welcome in the room and often makes a good starting point for the conversation itself. The first session is a shared exploration: both partners can see whether the way of working, and the person, feel right, without committing to anything.

Can we mix languages in a session?

Yes. Many couples who live between two languages switch mid-session — depending on which language a feeling is at home in. Each partner can speak the language in which they express themselves most precisely; I work equally in English and German.

Is couples therapy reimbursed by Austrian health insurance?

Generally no. The insurers' partial reimbursement applies to the treatment of clinically significant conditions in an individual setting; couples therapy is usually not covered. The fee is paid privately.

How long does couples therapy take?

It varies greatly and depends on what brings you. Some couples come for a few sessions around a specific question; others want longer accompaniment. Couples work often runs at wider intervals than individual therapy, and we take stock together at regular points.