About couples therapists
Couples therapists help partners with communication problems, frequent arguments, infidelity, crises or decisions about the future of the relationship. Sessions are usually joint, sometimes combined with individual ones.
Getting mental health care in Senegal
Public psychiatric care is concentrated in Dakar, mainly at the psychiatry department of CHNU de Fann and the Centre Hospitalier National Psychiatrique de Thiaroye, both with child psychiatry services.
What does a couples therapist do?
A couples therapist helps two people understand and improve their relationship. Day to day they work with couples on communication, recurring arguments, trust after infidelity, intimacy, life transitions such as parenthood or retirement, and decisions about continuing or separating. They stay neutral, make room for both perspectives, and teach practical skills to talk, listen and repair after conflict.
What happens in the first session
In the first session the therapist usually listens to how each partner sees the relationship, what brought you now and what you each hope for. Many therapists also hold one individual session with each partner. Ask about their approach, how they handle secrets shared individually, and how they work if one of you is unsure about continuing the relationship.