Can Online Couples Therapy Work for Couples in Louisiana and Texas?

Can online couples therapy actually work, or are you just wasting your time staring at a screen when everything already feels this broken?

Maybe you're sitting in your car in a parking lot because it's the only place you can talk privately. Your spouse is doing the same thing at home. And you're both wondering if this can possibly help.

Why More Couples Are Choosing Online Therapy

Life is complicated. Between work, kids, and just surviving the week, finding two extra hours to drive across town and sit in a waiting room is hard. Privacy matters too. And if you need a specialist in betrayal trauma or sexual addiction, your local options shrink fast.

This is especially true in Louisiana and Texas, where specialized therapists might be hours away. You might have ten marriage counselors nearby, but finding a CSAT who understands sexual addiction and betrayal trauma? That's a different story.

Here's what the research says: 70 to 80% of couples in online therapy see real improvement in communication and relationship satisfaction. That's the same rate as in-person.

"Can This Actually Work Without Being in the Same Room?"

I get the skepticism. Staring at a screen feels weird at first.

But a 2022 study compared video therapy to face-to-face. They measured relationship satisfaction, mental health, overall adjustment. No significant difference.

Most couples I work with still come into the office. But the ones who do therapy from home report feeling just as comfortable. They're in their own space, which can actually help some people open up.

The one tradeoff: building trust with your therapist takes slightly longer online. In person, that connection happens faster in the first couple sessions. But by session three or four, it evens out.

What Actually Changes (And What Doesn't)

The therapy itself doesn't change. Same approaches, same questions, same framework. The logistics change.

The good stuff: no commute, no childcare scramble, therapy at 7pm without wrecking your evening. About 80% of therapists report couples respond just as well online.

What you need: decent internet, a private space, headphones. Sometimes the connection drops and we switch to phone for a few minutes.

One thing I like about online work: I see you in your real environment. How you react when your spouse says something that hurts. Do you shut down? Walk away? Grab your phone? That tells me a lot.

What Matters More Than the Format

Here's what actually determines if therapy works: not where you sit, but who you work with and what you're working on.

If you're dealing with betrayal trauma after discovering your partner's affair or porn use, you don't just need any couples therapist. You need someone who understands betrayal trauma and sexual addiction.

I've had couples drive two hours to see a local therapist who spent six months teaching them communication skills. That's fine for some couples. But if you're dealing with betrayal trauma, you don't just need better communication. You need someone who understands how trauma shows up in a relationship.

The same studies that showed no difference between online and in-person found this: the strength of your relationship with your therapist matters far more than the format. A good therapist online beats a mediocre therapist in person every time.

When Online Works Best (And When It Doesn't)

Online works best when you're both willing to show up consistently, you can find a private space, and you're open to the format.

It's trickier when you escalate into big fights quickly, you have no private space, or your internet is terrible.

But most couples can make it work. The research shows it. My practice shows it. And accessing a therapist who understands what you're going through usually outweighs the weirdness of being on a screen.

The Bottom Line

Online couples therapy works. The research backs it up. Thousands of couples have rebuilt their marriages through a screen.

What matters most isn't where you sit. It's whether you both show up, whether your therapist knows how to handle what you're facing, and whether you're willing to do the hard work.

Next Steps

If you're in Louisiana or Texas and trying to figure out whether online therapy is right for you, reach out. I'm here to answer questions and help you decide if this approach makes sense for what you're going through.