When couples make progress in couples counseling, one or both partners may question the viability of the changes. The goal of couples counseling is to lock in new behaviors so there is no going back.

That occurs in couples counseling by spreading out the sessions, technically called fading. Because we are looking for learning opportunities in couples counseling, spreading out the sessions provides more material as couples progress. Usually, the learning has more subtlety to it, so couples continue to learn. Most importantly, it allows new behaviors to become the norm.

As the sessions spread out, the likelihood of solidifying new, healthier habits increases.