Marriage counseling and couples therapy in Traverse City

Picture August in Traverse City. One of you has worked doubles since the Cherry Festival, the other has been running the household alone, and the two of you have not had a real conversation since June. Everyone says things will settle down after Labor Day. Then fall arrives, the quiet comes back, and the distance between you is still there.

If you are searching for marriage counseling in Traverse City, this guide focuses on what is particular to couples up north: a seasonal economy that pulls partners apart for months, many couples in later chapters of life, a short list of local relationship specialists and long drives for two people with two schedules. It also explains how Iryna Morhunova-Sutton, LLMFT, works with Traverse City couples online.

For the basics, our couples therapy overview explains how sessions work, and the marriage counseling page covers the overlap between the terms.

The cherry-season marriage

For couples tied to hospitality, orchards, marinas or retail, summer can mean months of long days with almost no shared time. One partner may carry the household and the kids while the other is barely home, and resentment can build quietly on both sides. Then winter brings the opposite problem: lots of time together, short days and less income, and the conversations that were postponed all summer arrive at once.

Some couples find it easier to begin counseling in the quieter months after the visitors leave, then keep a lighter rhythm when summer work peaks. Ask any therapist you consider how much flexibility they offer across the seasons, and whether you can shift to fewer sessions in July and more in January.

Empty nests, retirements and second marriages

Census figures for 2020 to 2024 show that 38.1 percent of Traverse City households are married couples and 8.8 percent are cohabiting couples, and more than a third of households include someone 65 or older. Many couples here are navigating later-life seasons: the last child leaving home, one partner retiring before the other, caring for aging parents, or building a second marriage with adult children on both sides. Younger couples building careers in health care, hospitality and agriculture are part of the picture too.

Later-life transitions can unsettle long-standing patterns. A retirement that one partner looked forward to can leave the other feeling crowded. A move up north for a dream lake house can leave one person isolated from friends downstate. These are good reasons to talk with a therapist, not signs that something is broken. And if only one partner is ready, that is a fine place to begin: individual sessions can clarify what you want, and discernment counseling exists for couples where one person is unsure about staying.

Nine local MFT listings, many miles apart

A federal NPI Registry search on October 7, 2026 returned 9 records with the Marriage & Family Therapist taxonomy and a Traverse City practice address. Other licensed clinicians also see couples, but the pool of relationship specialists is small, and for couples in Leelanau, Benzie, Kalkaska or Antrim County, a weekly session in town can mean a long round trip for two people with two schedules. Lake-effect snow adds to that every winter.

That is one reason online therapy anywhere in Michigan is especially useful here: you can choose from therapists across the state rather than only those within driving distance. To narrow the list, our guide to finding a couples therapist covers what to ask, the credentials explainer covers the licenses, and a LARA license check confirms standing.

Lower-cost couples options up north

• Catholic Human Services, Traverse City offers individual, couples and family therapy, including marital and relationship issues (231-947-8110). Ask about fees and current wait times.
• Western Michigan University’s training clinic lists couples counseling with income-based sliding-scale fees and mentions telehealth for people outside its Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids areas; call to ask whether northern Michigan residents qualify.
• Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority (1-800-492-5742) can explain which public services you may be eligible for.

For private fees, our Michigan couples therapy cost guide explains what drives prices, and this guide to insurance coverage explains why relationship counseling is often handled differently by plans. If you wonder whether it is worth the drive or the fee, our summary of couples therapy research is a good place to start.

Couples sessions with Iryna from the Grand Traverse area

Iryna is based in Troy and works online only, with no office and no in-person sessions, so couples here work with her from home, with no long drive downstate. Both partners need to be physically in Michigan during each session, which matters for couples who spend part of the winter out of state. Video can also keep therapy going through snowstorms and summer double shifts, and it means neither of you has to leave work early to make a drive into town. Her approach is collaborative and compassionate; her goal, as she puts it, is “to meet you where you are, honor your story, and support you in creating the life and relationships you want.”

For individual and family options, see our guide to finding a therapist in Traverse City. When you are ready, request an appointment.