Just like in any other relationship, Muslim couples sometimes experience conflicts due to many different reasons, such as misunderstandings, differing expectations, and communication breakdowns.
Islam has a history of couples counseling dating back to the Prophet Muhammad, who provided support to different couples facing marital conflicts. Marriage counseling can foster a healthier relationship, helping to resolve your differences and prevent conflicts.
In this guide, we’ve looked at Muslim marriage counseling services to help improve your relationship.
Want to skip right to the suggestion for Muslim marriage counseling? Here is our 5 recommended therapy providers:
How to find a Muslim marriage counselor
It can be quite difficult to find Islamic marriage counseling services, especially if you don’t live in a major city. Even if you live somewhere like New York or LA, finding a good counselor for Muslims can still prove difficult.
Below, we’ve looked at 5 services that can help you connect with a professional Muslim marriage counselor over the internet.
| Provider | Good For | Location | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReGain | Quick match with the right couples therapist for you | Online therapy | $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks) |
| Online-therapy.com | Finding licensed and experienced therapists with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach | Online therapy | $40/week to $88/week (including our 20% discount first month) |
| Calmerry | Individual relationship counseling | Online therapy | $49.50 to $73.75 per week (billed monthly) |
| TalkSpace | Relationship counseling, marriage counseling, premarital counseling | Online therapy | Varies according to insurance coverage or self-pay options |
| Find-a-therapist.com | Finding and contacting the right couples counselor for you and your partner | Online and in-person therapy | Varies depending on the counselor fee |
1. ReGain
Tailored for individuals and couples navigating relationship or marital issues – ReGain is your online relationship therapy solution. Starting at $65/week, you can schedule one weekly live session and message your therapist anytime. Start your path to healthier connections with ReGain – fill out their online assessment form.
- Good for: Quick match with the right couples therapist for you.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks).
- Features: iOS and Android app available, message your therapist anytime, live sessions are scheduled weekly and done via live chat, phone, or video call.
ReGain is an online therapy service. They have a range of licensed Muslim marriage therapists who share your faith and are well-qualified to address marriage conflicts. After signing up, fill out their online form, specify your counseling needs, and you’ll be matched with an appropriate Muslim marriage counselor.
2. Online-therapy.com
Discover transformative online therapy with Online-therapy.com. Through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Online-therapy.com offers individual and couples support starting at $45/week. Engage in sessions via video, voice, or text for maximum flexibility. Fill out their online questionnaire to get started.
- Good for: Finding licensed and experienced therapists with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: $40/week to $88/week (including our 20% discount first month).
- Features: Unlimited messaging with your therapist, including a daily journal and activity plan, yoga and meditation videos, and tests to see your progress.
Online-therapy.com prioritizes affordability and accessibility, catering to individuals seeking mental health support, particularly those comfortable with online communication and dealing with mild mental health concerns. This platform has a range of counselors, including Muslim therapists.
Read our online-therapy.com review here.
3. Calmerry
Embark on a journey of mental wellness with Calmerry. With diverse subscription options, starting at just $50, Calmerry makes prioritizing your mental health simple and accessible. You can message your therapist any day or schedule a live therapy session from the comfort of your home from any device.
- Good for: Individual relationship counseling.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: $49.50 to $73.75 per week (billed monthly).
- Features: Message to your counselor anytime, text therapy and video therapy according to the plan you choose, free counselor switching.
Calmerry is a cost-effective online counseling platform focused on couples counseling. The platform engages licensed marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers, including Muslim counselors, to assist with a range of relationship challenges.
Read our comparison between Calmerry and BetterHelp here.
4. TalkSpace
Tailored to individuals, couples, teens, and offering psychiatry services, Talkspace plans kick off at a wallet-friendly $69 per week. What’s more, many health insurances also cover their services, enhancing accessibility and affordability. Complete a questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.
- Good for: Relationship counseling, marriage counseling, premarital counseling.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: Varies according to insurance coverage or self-pay options.
- Features: Accepts insurance, pick your therapist from a list of recommendations, live video sessions and unlimited messaging with your therapist.
Talkspace is an online therapy platform that facilitates mental health services, including couples therapy. It offers Muslim couples a convenient and accessible means of engaging in therapy through digital communication, allowing users to schedule sessions at their preferred times, either individually or together.
Read our TalkSpace review here.
5. Find-a-therapist.com
- Good for: Finding and contacting the right couples counselor for you and your partner.
- Location: Online and in-person therapy.
- Pricing: Varies depending on the counselor fee.
- Features: Filter your search, find accessible and effective online and in-person therapy, find guides on different types of therapy.
You can utilize the find-a-therapist.com directory listing to customize your search based on therapy type, specific concerns, therapist gender, spoken languages, and more, enhancing your ability to personalize your therapy experience.
What is Islamic marriage counseling?
Islamic or Muslim marriage counselors work on the principles of psychotherapy to heal and improve your relationship while keeping in mind the teachings of Islam.
First of all, a Muslim marriage counselor assesses the root causes of marriage conflicts while analyzing the relationship between you and your partner. Then, they help you and your partner understand your faults (if any) and responsibilities in the relationship.
Next, the counselor may use different therapeutic methods of psychology to nurture love between you and your partner. Through personal feedback, they help you live happily with your partner, repairing and strengthening the bond between you in each session.
A Muslim marriage counselor also exemplifies Islamic verses and events in the Prophet Muhammad’s life in the context of their counseling. They will also understand Islamic culture and how this influences your marriage.
Causes of conflict in Muslim relationships
Several factors contribute to the conflicts and issues that can potentially strain the relationship between you and your partner.
Many of these issues are not related to Muslim relationships specifically – they affect couples of all religions.
- Unrealistic and unmet expectations often lead to mistrust and an unpleasant atmosphere that can spoil the love present between a couple.
- Lack of communication and sharing can cause frustration, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Good communication is the bedrock of a solid relationship.
- Lack of prior information about each other before marriage can also be detrimental to a relationship. Some Muslim marriages are arranged, which can cause difficulties, especially in the early stages.
- Financial struggles are another reason behind marital conflicts. Often, Muslim men are the main breadwinners of their families. This puts financial stress on husbands, and in response, they may be less available for their families. As a result, you or your partner may become distant, and conflicts arise due to the stress placed on both parties.
- Children can also become a major reason why conflicts arise. Sometimes couples disagree about the best thing for their kids, in areas such as education and marriage. These differences can sometimes create serious conflicts in the parent’s relationship.
How can marriage counseling help?
Marriage counselors can help establish a stronger bond between you and your partner and allow you to resolve some of the issues that cause marriage conflicts.
Counseling can help:
- Improve communication skills. Communication is the key to any successful relationship, as it allows you to share your emotional needs with your partner. With a good communication dynamic, it’s easier to discuss your wants, needs, and concerns with your partner.
- Rebuild trust in the relationship. Through different psychotherapies, therapists can explore any underlying issues that are causing mistrust/doubt. The non-judgemental behavior of a therapist, acting as a mediator, also plays an important role in trust-building.
- Develop constructive arguments (rather than destructive). These behavioral modifications can mend relationships that are on the verge of divorce. A couple can sometimes get involved in persistent arguments that spoil beautiful moments. Counseling can help you and your partner see each other’s perspectives on different subjects and hopefully reduce conflict in the relationship.
- Build intimacy and an emotional connection. Under the burden of everyday responsibilities and busy routines, you and your partner may take your relationship for granted. For example, after the birth of a child, you may start to view your relationship primarily from the perspective of parenthood. Counseling can assist in rebuilding your emotional connection and intimacy by reinforcing to you and your partner the basic elements of a healthy relationship.
- Set and maintain healthy boundaries. If you want to establish a good bond between yourself, your partner, and your family, it is necessary to maintain healthy boundaries. In Islam, Allah has also defined pre-determined boundaries for different members of a family. Islamic counseling by Muslim therapists helps to establish these boundaries within the scope of Islam.
Besides these benefits, counseling can also help you make the right decision about continuing the relationship, if the situation between you and your partner is very serious.
Take the example of a Muslim woman who faces domestic abuse from her partner. In such a scenario, counseling may boost her self-esteem and motivate her to leave the relationship.
If you are in an abusive relationship, it’s important to seek help. Visit the local domestic violence shelter if it’s safe to do so, or call the emergency services if you are in immediate danger.
Conclusion
Conflicts can arise between a husband and wife for many reasons, and Muslims are not immune to these issues. However, Islam has shown a counseling path to its believers through the Prophet’s life and Quranic verses.
Many factors can lead to interpersonal conflicts, such as lack of communication, mistrust, and unrealistic expectations. Counseling techniques can improve communication skills, re-establish a strong emotional connection, and rebuild trust between you and your partner.
