marital therapy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Technical, Clinical
Quick answer
What does “marital therapy” mean?
A form of psychotherapy designed to help couples improve their relationship, resolve conflicts, and enhance communication.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A form of psychotherapy designed to help couples improve their relationship, resolve conflicts, and enhance communication.
Professionally-guided intervention aimed at improving marital satisfaction, addressing relational dynamics, and fostering healthier patterns of interaction between spouses. It may involve behavioral, cognitive, or systemic therapeutic approaches.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK usage, 'marital therapy' is common, but 'couples therapy' or 'relationship therapy' is also widely used, with 'marital' sometimes perceived as slightly more traditional. In the US, 'marriage counseling' is a frequent, less clinical synonym.
Connotations
UK: May carry a neutral to slightly formal, psychological/clinical connotation. US: Similarly formal/clinical, though 'marriage counseling' can sound less intensive or more accessible to the general public.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both dialects within professional contexts; slightly more likely to be called 'marriage counseling' in everyday US speech.
Grammar
How to Use “marital therapy” in a Sentence
[Couple] + undergo + marital therapy[Therapist] + provide + marital therapy + for/to + [couple][Couple] + benefit from + marital therapy + for + [issue]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “marital therapy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to therapy their marital issues.
American English
- They are therapizing their marriage.
adjective
British English
- The marital therapeutic process was challenging.
American English
- They sought a marital-therapy specialist.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not typically used; relevant only in HR or employee assistance program (EAP) contexts.
Academic
Used in psychology, social work, and counselling research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Used when discussing personal relationships or seeking help, though 'marriage counseling' may be more common in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and licensed counselling practice.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “marital therapy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “marital therapy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marital therapy”
- Confusing 'marital' with 'martial' (military). Using 'marital therapy' to refer to individual therapy for personal issues affecting a marriage. Incorrect plural: 'maritals therapy'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while 'marital' implies marriage, the term is often used interchangeably with 'couples therapy' for any committed partnership.
It varies widely, from short-term interventions of 8-12 sessions to longer-term therapy extending over months or years, depending on the couple's goals and issues.
Marital therapy focuses on the relationship system and interaction patterns between partners, while individual therapy focuses on one person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Ideally yes, as the therapy works with the relationship dynamic. However, sessions might sometimes involve individual meetings as part of the overall couple-focused process.
A form of psychotherapy designed to help couples improve their relationship, resolve conflicts, and enhance communication.
Marital therapy is usually formal, technical, clinical in register.
Marital therapy: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmær.ɪ.t̬əl ˈθer.ə.pi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmer.ə.t̬əl ˈθer.ə.pi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A stitch in time saves nine (applied to seeking therapy early)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MARITAL THERAPY: MARriage IT ALigns Therapy – therapy that aligns a marriage.
Conceptual Metaphor
RELATIONSHIP AS A JOURNEY/VEHICLE ('Getting back on track', 'Repairing the engine', 'Navigating rough patches'). MARRIAGE AS A CONTRACT/BOND ('Strengthening the bond', 'Renegotiating terms').
Practice
Quiz
What is the most neutral synonym for 'marital therapy' in a professional context?