Marriage Counseling
Doxa Renewal Clinic provides marriage counseling in Jackson, Madison, and Ridgeland, Mississippi. We are the only outpatient practice in the Jackson metro area where couples can access marriage and family therapy, three board-certified psychiatrists, psychological testing, and child and adolescent counseling for their children, all under one roof. Our therapists are trained in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
At Doxa, we practice the art of relationship counseling well.
Whether it is a perpetually gridlocked issue that has caused a million arguments or a desperate effort to save your marriage, we are eager to help.
Our therapists have extensive graduate training in relationship counseling and offer a variety of counseling approaches such as the Gottman method and Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples.
Marti Witherow is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and an AAMFT clinical fellow, with close to 20 years of experience in helping couples and families.
We offer a wide range of treatment options so that you can choose what’s best for your particular situation. Our therapists merge the latest in scientific therapeutic methods with Christian principles to help you develop better relationships, parenting skills and knowledge of your family—and yourself.
“Every marriage has conflict. The point is that neurotic moments don’t have to ruin a marriage. If you can accommodate each other’s “crazy” side and handle it with caring, affection, and respect, your marriage can thrive.”
John Gottman, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
How marriage counseling at Doxa is different
Most couples come to therapy thinking the work is to manage conflict. The newer research tells a different story. Marriages more often drift into trouble when warmth, affection, and responsiveness fade quietly in the background. The conflict comes later, after the connection has already thinned. That is the lens our therapists work from. We do not just help you manage the next argument. We work on the connection underneath it, so the arguments matter less because the relationship is sturdier.
Common issues we address in marriage counseling
Couples come to Doxa for many reasons. Some of the most common include:
- Communication breakdowns and recurring arguments
- Recovery from infidelity and rebuilding trust
- Sexual intimacy concerns and disconnection
- Parenting disagreements and blended-family conflict
- Major life transitions such as relocation, career change, illness, or grief
- Persistent resentment, contempt, or emotional distance
- Premarital concerns about compatibility, finances, or family of origin
Most couples have tried to work through these issues on their own before reaching out. Counseling provides structure, neutrality, and methods that have decades of research behind them. Couples come to us from across the Jackson metro area and central Mississippi.
How we work, Gottman Method and EFT
Our counselors are trained in both marriage and family therapy and individual counseling. Many of our counselors are graduates of Reformed Theological Seminary, one of the top counseling programs in the country, they have extensive training in synthesizing biblical values with modern, scientifically grounded counseling methods. That depth of training is unusual in the local market, where most therapists who advertise couples counseling may not have extensive graduate-level coursework.
Our therapists work in two of the most researched approaches in couples therapy: the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
The Gottman Method is built on more than 40 years of research with thousands of couples. It uses concrete tools, including identifying the Four Horsemen of relational decline (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling), building Love Maps, managing conflict around perpetual versus solvable problems, and creating shared meaning. Dr. Marti Witherow holds Gottman Level 3 certification, the most advanced level of training available outside of a Gottman Institute fellowship. Other Doxa therapists are trained at Gottman Level 2.
Emotionally Focused Therapy works at the attachment level. EFT helps couples identify the emotional cycle they get stuck in, often pursue-withdraw or criticize-defend, and build new patterns of connection and responsiveness.
Most couples benefit from a blend of both approaches. Your therapist will adapt the work to your relationship’s needs.
What to expect in your first session
Your first session is about 55 minutes with both partners present. We use the time to understand your relationship history, the issues bringing you in, and your goals for counseling. Most couples meet weekly or biweekly thereafter, with sessions generally running about 55 minutes.
Some couples also complete a Gottman Relationship Checkup early in counseling. It is a structured online assessment that gives your therapist a detailed picture of your relationship’s strengths and areas of concern before deeper work begins.
Outcomes couples often see
Couples who engage consistently in marriage counseling commonly report:
- Reduced frequency and intensity of arguments
- Restored emotional and physical intimacy
- Clearer communication, especially around recurring conflicts
- A renewed sense of partnership rather than feeling like adversaries
- Specific tools they continue using long after counseling ends
Counseling is not a guarantee, and outcomes depend on both partners’ engagement. Many couples see meaningful change within 12 to 20 sessions. Some need fewer, some need more.
Our marriage counselors
Marti Witherow is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an AAMFT Clinical Fellow, and a Gottman Level 3 trained clinician with close to 20 years of experience working with couples in the Jackson, Madison, and Ridgeland area. Couples can choose their counselor based on style, scheduling, and clinical fit. Visit our team page to browse providers, or use the Book a Session button to reach our intake coordinator.
Frequently asked questions
Does marriage counseling actually work?
Yes for couples who both show up willing to do the work. Research from the developers of Emotionally Focused Therapy reports that around 70 to 75 percent of couples move out of distress, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy reports that close to 90 percent of clients see improvement after treatment. The biggest predictor of success is not the approach. It is whether both partners are invested in changing the relationship rather than winning the argument.
When should we start couples therapy?
Earlier than most couples do. A long-term study of newlyweds found that what predicted later divorce was not the volume of fighting. It was the slow fading of warmth, affection, and responsiveness in the daily relationship. By the time most couples call for help, they have waited an average of six years. We would rather see you when you are noticing drift than when you are already considering separation, but we work with both.
What happens in a session?
Sessions involve both partners working with a therapist trained in Family Systems Therapy, the Gottman Method or Emotionally Focused Therapy. Your first session is mostly for understanding the history of your relationship, current patterns, and what each of you hopes will be different. From there, your therapist will help identify the patterns that keep getting you stuck, teach communication tools, and work on the emotional connection underneath the conflict. Most couples meet weekly or biweekly.
How long does couples therapy take?
Most couples see meaningful change in 12 to 20 sessions, though this varies by what you are working on. Communication and conflict patterns often shift faster. Affair recovery, longstanding gridlock, or rebuilding trust after a long period of disconnection takes longer. Your therapist will talk through a rough timeline with you in the first few sessions.
What if my spouse doesn’t want to come?
This is one of the most common things we hear, and it is not the dealbreaker most people think. Sometimes one partner needs to come alone for a few sessions to think through what they want. Sometimes a hesitant spouse changes their mind once the other has started. We can talk you through options in a phone consultation before you commit to anything.
Do you offer Christian marriage counseling?
Yes. Several of our therapists integrate faith with evidence-based methods like the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy. We have extensive experience working with Christian couples in the Jackson, Madison, and Ridgeland area. We also work with couples of all backgrounds and beliefs.
Does insurance cover marriage counseling?
Some plans cover couples therapy when there is a clinical diagnosis involved. Doxa accepts several major insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield. Coverage depends on your specific plan, so the simplest path is to call us and we can verify your benefits before your first appointment.