A couples therapy enquiry is usually written by one person. They have been thinking about it for months, their partner has agreed reluctantly or does not yet know, and the message carries the weight of that.
Family enquiries are similar, often from a parent worried about a teenager who has not agreed to anything.
Safety first, without exception
If a message describes abuse, control, violence or fear, the response is emergency services and specialist domestic abuse support, immediately. Joint sessions are not appropriate where there is abuse, and no website should suggest booking one in that situation.
What people ask
They usually ask how couples therapy works, whether both people must attend, whether they can come alone first, how long sessions last, how many sessions are typical, what it costs, whether sessions are confidential from each other, whether the therapist takes sides, whether evening appointments exist and whether children are involved in family sessions.
Example conversations
These scripts use information a practice might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Visitor: My partner is not sure about coming. Can I start alone? Assistant: The page explains that some people begin with an individual session to talk things through, and that the therapist will discuss whether joint sessions would be helpful. Sessions last the time shown, and the fees page lists the cost for individual and couples appointments.
Visitor: Will the therapist take my partner's side? Assistant: The page explains how the therapist works with couples, which is with the relationship rather than for either person. Your therapist can talk through what the sessions involve before you book.
Visitor: Can we do evenings? Assistant: The availability page shows which therapists offer evening appointments and the current wait for a first session.
When one person is reluctant
Many enquiries come from someone whose partner has not fully agreed to attend. Explaining that this is common, that a first session can be used to decide whether to continue and that nobody is pressured into anything, is more useful than encouragement. It also prevents the therapist being presented as something the reluctant partner was promised would fix things.
Session length and cost
Couples sessions are usually longer and cost more than individual ones, and people are surprised by both. Publishing the format and fee prevents an awkward discovery at the first appointment.
Confidentiality between partners
People ask whether what they say individually stays private from their partner. Explaining the practice's policy, whatever it is, is essential, because assumptions here cause real harm.
Family sessions and young people
Whether children attend, from what age, whether parents are seen separately and how the young person's own wishes are handled. Parents frequently enquire about a teenager who has not consented, and the practice's position on that should be clear.
Keep first contact simple
A name and a safe contact method is enough, particularly where the enquirer does not want a message arriving on a shared device, which is the principle in therapy enquiries from people who find it hard to ask.
Fees and availability
The practical answers that decide contact are covered in therapy fees, sessions and availability questions.
Routing carefully
A few gentle questions route each enquiry to the right service, as described in receptionist screening questions, and families arranging support for relatives behave similarly to those in lasting power of attorney questions families ask.
Getting started
Publish your couples and family formats, fees, confidentiality policy and crisis contacts, then answer at any hour. SpideyChat for therapy practices answers from your published pages and never provides therapy. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.