Couples Counseling in Missoula, MT
Improve Communication, Reconnect, and Build a Stronger Relationship
Begin Your Journey Toward a Stronger Relationship
Relationships go through difficult seasons. You may be caught in the same arguments, feeling emotionally disconnected, struggling with trust or intimacy, or wondering how to reconnect with your partner.
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, we provide couples counseling in Missoula, Montana for partners who want to understand their relationship patterns, communicate more effectively, work through difficult experiences, and build a stronger emotional connection.
Our couples therapists provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where both partners can be heard. Whether you are dating, engaged, married, living together, or in a long-term committed relationship, couples therapy can help you navigate challenges and create healthier patterns together.
Couples counseling is available in person in Missoula and online throughout Montana.
Get Matched with a Couples Therapist
Our care coordinator will help connect you with the therapist who best fits your relationship needs, preferences, and availability.
Tell us a little about what you're looking for, and we'll reach out to help you determine where to start.
When Your Relationship Feels Stuck
Sometimes couples know they love each other but feel caught in patterns they cannot seem to change.
One partner may pursue a conversation while the other withdraws. A small disagreement may quickly become a major argument. You may find yourselves having the same fight over and over without feeling heard or understood.
Over time, these patterns can create emotional distance, resentment, loneliness, frustration, and uncertainty about the future of the relationship.
Couples counseling provides a place to slow these patterns down and understand what is happening between you.
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, our couples therapists help partners explore their relationship dynamics, communicate more openly, understand emotional needs, and develop healthier ways of responding to one another.
You may be seeking couples counseling because of:
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Communication problems
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Frequent or escalating conflict
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Repeated arguments that never feel resolved
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Emotional distance or disconnection
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Difficulty expressing needs or emotions
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Trust concerns
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Infidelity or relationship betrayal
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Resentment
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Loss of emotional or physical intimacy
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Differences in expectations or priorities
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Parenting or family stress
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Financial stress
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Major life transitions
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Feeling more like roommates than partners
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Uncertainty about the future of your relationship
You do not have to wait until your relationship reaches a crisis before seeking support.
What is Couples Counseling?
Couples counseling, also called couples therapy or marriage counseling, is psychotherapy focused on the relationship between two partners.
Rather than determining who is right or wrong, couples therapy helps partners understand the patterns that develop between them and how those patterns affect communication, emotional connection, trust, and conflict.
Depending on your goals, your therapist may help you explore:
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How you communicate during conflict
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What happens when one or both partners feel hurt or rejected
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How you respond when you feel disconnected
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The emotional needs underneath recurring arguments
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Patterns of pursuing, withdrawing, criticizing, or shutting down
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Trust and intimacy concerns
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How past experiences may influence your current relationship
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How each partner experiences the relationship differently
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Ways to communicate needs more clearly
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How to respond to one another with greater understanding and emotional attunement
The goal is not simply to stop arguing.
The goal is to better understand what is happening in your relationship and create healthier ways of relating to one another.
Our Approach to Couples Counseling
Every couple is different, so therapy is tailored to your relationship, concerns, and goals.
Our couples therapists use relationship-focused approaches that may include Emotionally Focused Therapy, attachment-based therapy, and Gottman-informed relationship strategies, depending on the therapist and what fits your needs.
Tiana Wilson, LCSW — Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Tiana Wilson is the founder and clinical director of Peaks and Valleys Therapy and provides couples counseling using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and attachment-based approaches.
Tiana helps couples understand the emotional patterns that develop between partners and identify what is happening underneath recurring conflict or disconnection.
Her work may be especially helpful for couples who feel stuck in cycles of pursuing and withdrawing, criticism and defensiveness, emotional distance, or difficulty expressing vulnerable needs.
Tiana also provides Prepare/Enrich-based premarital counseling for couples preparing for marriage.
Learn more about Tiana Wilson, LCSW
Ken Bumke, LCSW — Attachment & Gottman-Informed Couples Counseling
Ken Bumke, LCSW provides couples and premarital counseling with a practical, relationship-focused approach informed by attachment theory and Gottman Method principles.
Ken works with couples who want to improve communication, navigate conflict, strengthen friendship and partnership, address trust concerns, and develop healthier relationship patterns.
Ken also provides Prepare/Enrich-based premarital counseling for couples preparing for marriage.
Learn more about Ken Bumke, LCSW
Because each therapist brings a different perspective and availability, our Get Matched process can help you find the best fit for your relationship.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy in Missoula
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the approaches used in couples counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy.
EFT focuses on the emotional bond between partners and the interaction patterns that develop when people feel hurt, rejected, misunderstood, or disconnected.
A disagreement about household responsibilities, for example, may be connected to deeper concerns such as:
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“I don't feel important to you.”
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“I can't depend on you.”
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“I don't know how to reach you.”
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“I'm afraid we're becoming disconnected.”
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“I don't feel understood.”
EFT helps couples slow these cycles down, recognize the emotions underneath the conflict, and communicate those needs in new ways.
Learn more about Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy in Missoula.
What Can Couples Counseling Help With?
Couples therapy can help you and your partner:
Improve Communication
Learn how to express thoughts, feelings, needs, and concerns in ways that make it easier for both partners to understand one another.
Break Repeating Conflict Patterns
Identify why the same arguments keep happening and develop healthier ways of responding when conflict occurs.
Rebuild Emotional Connection
Reconnect when you have begun feeling distant, lonely, or emotionally disconnected from your partner.
Address Trust and Betrayal
Create space to address broken trust, infidelity, hurt, and the difficult emotions that can follow a relationship rupture.
Strengthen Intimacy
Talk openly about emotional and physical intimacy in a supportive therapeutic environment.
Navigate Major Life Changes
Couples may seek therapy during pregnancy, parenthood, career changes, relocation, grief, financial stress, family changes, or other major transitions.
Work Through Differences
Therapy can help partners better understand differences in expectations, priorities, communication styles, family backgrounds, finances, parenting, and other areas of life together.
Clarify the Future of the Relationship
Some couples are uncertain about whether they want to remain together. Couples therapy can provide a structured space to understand the relationship, communicate honestly, and consider what each person wants moving forward.
Marriage Counseling in Missoula
Marriage counseling is a form of couples therapy for married partners who want support with their relationship.
You do not have to wait until your marriage is in crisis to seek counseling.
Married couples may come to therapy because of:
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Communication difficulties
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Frequent arguments
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Emotional disconnection
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Trust concerns
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Infidelity
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Parenting disagreements
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Financial stress
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Differences in expectations
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Loss of intimacy
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Resentment
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Major life transitions
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Longstanding relationship patterns
Our goal is not to take sides or tell you what your marriage should look like. Your therapist provides a neutral, supportive space to help you understand what is happening and work toward the changes that matter to both of you.
Premarital Counseling in Missoula
Couples do not have to be struggling to benefit from relationship counseling.
Premarital counseling can help engaged couples have important conversations about marriage before problems arise.
Peaks and Valleys Therapy offers Prepare/Enrich-based premarital counseling with Tiana Wilson, LCSW and Ken Bumke, LCSW.
Topics may include:
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Communication
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Conflict resolution
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Expectations about marriage
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Finances
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Family and parenting
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Emotional and physical intimacy
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Boundaries
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Roles and responsibilities
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Family-of-origin patterns
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Shared goals and values
What to Expect During Couples Therapy
Your first couples therapy session gives your therapist an opportunity to learn about your relationship, understand what brings you to counseling, and begin identifying the patterns that may be contributing to your difficulties.
Your therapist may ask about:
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What brought you to counseling
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How long you have been experiencing difficulties
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What typically happens during conflict
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What each partner would like to change
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What is working well in your relationship
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Important relationship history
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Your individual and shared goals
Both partners will have opportunities to share their perspectives.
Couples therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong. Your therapist helps create a space where both partners can be heard while identifying patterns that may be keeping the relationship stuck.
As therapy progresses, your work may include understanding relationship patterns, practicing new ways of communicating, exploring emotional needs, repairing ruptures, strengthening trust, and creating new ways of responding to one another.
How Long Does Couples Counseling Take?
There is no single number of sessions that works for every couple.
Some couples seek short-term counseling to address a specific concern, while others participate in longer-term therapy to work through longstanding relationship patterns.
The length and frequency of couples counseling may depend on:
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Your goals for therapy
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How long you have been experiencing difficulties
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The concerns you are addressing
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Your therapist's approach
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Your availability and ability to participate
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How your relationship needs change throughout the process
Your therapist can work with you to determine a treatment schedule that makes sense for your relationship.
Couples Counseling for Every Relationship
Relationships come in many forms, and therapy should be a place where you feel respected and understood.
Peaks and Valleys Therapy provides LGBTQIA+ affirming, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed couples counseling.
We work with:
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Married couples
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Engaged couples
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Dating couples
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Cohabiting couples
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Long-term partners
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LGBTQIA+ couples
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Couples navigating major relationship changes
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Couples considering separation
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Couples who are uncertain about the future
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Couples who want to strengthen an already healthy relationship
You do not need to have a perfect relationship to benefit from couples therapy.
You simply need to be willing to explore what is happening and consider whether a different way of relating might be possible.
Why Choose Peaks and Valleys Therapy for Couples Counseling?
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, we believe couples counseling should be both compassionate and relationship-focused.
Our couples therapy offers:
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Licensed therapists
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Couples and relationship-focused care
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Emotionally Focused Therapy
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Attachment-informed approaches
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Gottman-informed relationship strategies with Ken
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Prepare/Enrich premarital counseling
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LGBTQIA+ affirming care
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Trauma-informed care
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In-person couples counseling in Missoula
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Secure online therapy throughout Montana
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A collaborative, nonjudgmental therapeutic environment
Our goal is not to tell you what your relationship should look like.
We are here to help you understand your relationship, communicate more effectively, explore what each partner needs, and make intentional decisions about what comes next.
Couples Counseling Cost in Missoula
Couples counseling is $160 per 60-minute session and is private pay. Couples counseling is not currently billed to insurance.
Sessions may be scheduled weekly, biweekly, or at another frequency based on your needs and therapist availability.
Because couples counseling is private pay, sessions can remain focused on relationship concerns rather than requiring a mental health diagnosis for insurance reimbursement.
For information about individual therapy insurance coverage and private-pay rates, visit our Insurance & Rates page.
You can also review our Good Faith Estimate for information about the expected cost of services.
In-Person Couples Counseling in Missoula & Online Throughout Montana
Peaks and Valleys Therapy provides in-person couples counseling in Missoula, Montana and secure online therapy for clients located throughout Montana.
Missoula Mullan Office
2423 Mullan Rd
Missoula, MT 59808
South Avenue Office
1008 South Ave W
Missoula, MT 59801
Online couples counseling can be convenient for couples with busy schedules, transportation challenges, parenting responsibilities, or partners who live in different locations within Montana.
Is Couples Counseling Right for Us?
Couples therapy may be worth considering if:
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You keep having the same arguments.
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You feel emotionally disconnected.
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Communication has become difficult.
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One or both partners feel unheard.
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You are struggling to rebuild trust.
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You are dealing with infidelity.
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You are experiencing changes in intimacy.
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You are navigating a major life transition.
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You are struggling with parenting or family stress.
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You are considering separation.
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You are uncertain about the future of your relationship.
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You want to strengthen an already healthy relationship.
You don't have to be on the verge of divorce to seek couples counseling.
Many couples come to therapy because they want to address problems before they become even more difficult to change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Couples Counseling in Missoula
What is couples counseling?
Couples counseling is psychotherapy focused on the relationship between two partners. It can help couples understand relationship patterns, improve communication, address conflict, strengthen emotional connection, and work through concerns such as trust, intimacy, or major life transitions.
How much does couples counseling cost in Missoula?
Couples counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy is $160 per 60-minute session. Couples counseling is private pay and is not currently billed to insurance.
Do you accept insurance for couples counseling?
No. Couples counseling is currently private pay and is not billed to insurance at Peaks and Valleys Therapy.
Do you offer marriage counseling in Missoula?
Yes. Marriage counseling is one form of couples therapy we provide. We work with married couples experiencing communication problems, conflict, emotional disconnection, trust concerns, intimacy concerns, and major life transitions.
Do you work with unmarried couples?
Yes. Couples counseling is not limited to married couples. We work with dating, engaged, cohabiting, and long-term committed partners.
Can couples counseling help with communication problems?
Yes. Couples counseling can help partners understand communication patterns, express needs more clearly, listen more effectively, and respond differently during conflict.
Can couples counseling help with infidelity?
Couples therapy can provide a structured environment for partners to address the impact of infidelity, communicate about difficult emotions, understand the relationship rupture, and explore what rebuilding trust may look like.
Do you offer LGBTQIA+ couples counseling?
Yes. Peaks and Valleys Therapy provides LGBTQIA+ affirming couples counseling and welcomes couples with diverse identities and relationship structures.
Do you offer Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy in Missoula?
Yes. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the approaches used in couples counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy. Tiana Wilson, LCSW provides couples counseling using EFT and attachment-based approaches.
Do you offer premarital counseling?
Yes. Tiana Wilson, LCSW and Ken Bumke, LCSW provide Prepare/Enrich-based premarital counseling for couples preparing for marriage.
Learn more about Premarital Counseling in Missoula
How long does couples therapy take?
The length of couples counseling varies depending on the couple's goals, concerns, history, therapist approach, and desired level of support. Some couples seek short-term counseling for a specific concern, while others participate in longer-term therapy.
Do you offer online couples counseling?
Yes. We offer secure online therapy for couples located throughout Montana.
Learn more about Online Therapy in Montana
Can we come to couples therapy if we are considering divorce?
Yes. Couples therapy can be appropriate when partners are uncertain about the future of their relationship. Therapy can provide a structured space to communicate, understand the relationship, and consider what each person wants moving forward.
If you have already separated or are working through the end of a relationship, our Divorce & Breakup Recoveryservices may also be helpful.
Start Couples Counseling in Missoula
You do not have to keep having the same conversation without getting anywhere.
Whether you are experiencing conflict, communication problems, emotional distance, trust concerns, or simply want to strengthen your relationship, couples counseling can provide a place to slow down, understand what is happening, and begin creating change.
Ready to reconnect?
Get Matched with a Couples Therapist
Tell us what you are looking for, and our care coordinator will help connect you with a therapist who fits your relationship needs and goals.
Couples counseling is available in Missoula, Montana and online throughout Montana.
Looking for Another Type of Relationship Support?
Premarital Counseling in Missoula
Prepare for marriage by strengthening communication, discussing expectations, and building a strong foundation for your future together.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Learn more about Emotionally Focused Therapy, an attachment-based approach focused on emotional connection and relationship patterns.
Explore Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Relationship Therapy for Individuals
You do not have to attend therapy with your partner. Individual relationship therapy can help you understand relationship patterns, communication difficulties, boundaries, and emotional needs.
Explore Relationship Therapy for Individuals
Divorce & Breakup Recovery
Support for individuals navigating separation, divorce, or the end of an important relationship.