In a Nutshell
pros
- Tackles an extensive range of marriage issues
- You can retain course materials indefinitely
- Accessible immediately on receipt of purchase
cons
- No one-to-one counseling (separate package)
- No personalized materials for your specific issues
Marriage Fitness at a Glance
Affordability
Therapist Network
User Access
Communication Tools
Customer Support
How Much Does Marriage Fitness Cost?
Marriage Fitness offers a financed plan for three months at $179 per month or a one-time payment of $399. Both plans offer the same package in terms of course materials and the prices are the same for individuals and couples. If your spouse joins you part-way through the course, you can request customized content for couples at no extra charge.
Marriage Fitness also has an audio-only version called the Marriage Fitness Audio Learning System, priced at $69.95. This includes the audio content from the regular course, as well as extra audio content and audio versions of the video and written materials.
Type of Plan
What’s Included
Overall Cost
Monthly Cost
3-month plan
38-part video course
100 solution soundbites
3 Q&A teleconferences
Happy Homework
Access to recordings
7 "homework" assignments
Implementation schedule
$537
$179
One-time payment
All course materials as above
$399
N/A
Marriage Fitness Audio Learning System
5 audio CDs or digital online access
The Marriage Fitness 4-Step Plan
20 relationship exercises
5 marriage assessments
A 14-week implementation schedule
Online access to a special report
The Secret to Becoming Soul Mates
5 Ways to "Move from Me to We"
The Magic Solution to Every Marital Problem
$69.95
N/A
Is Marriage Fitness Covered by Insurance?
The Marriage Fitness website does not state any information regarding the submission of bills to Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurers, nor whether it works with any providers directly.
Insurance coverage for Marriage Fitness may be available depending on your provider, your plan, and your state’s regulation. Some insurance plans will cover online therapy, but others may only cover partial or limited costs, so be sure to check with your provider beforehand.
The Marriage Fitness website declares it is happy to provide receipts for all services provided if you wish to apply for reimbursement.
Are Marriage Fitness Counselors Licensed Professionals?
The Marriage Fitness Online Boot Camp materials are all designed and delivered by the creator, Mort Fertel. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and was formerly the CEO of an international non-profit organization. Fertel currently owns the company MarriageMax, through which the Marriage Fitness program is delivered.
As an entrepreneur and author, Mort Fertel created Marriage Fitness after suffering marital issues of his own and struggling to find effective marriage counseling. In 2004, he wrote the book Marriage Fitness, which influenced the development of the online program of the same name.
The website does not provide information on Mort Fertel’s therapy license or qualifications.
Marriage Fitness Specialties and Areas of Expertise
Unlike other e-therapy platforms, Marriage Fitness specializes in relationship and marriage counseling self-help. No specific treatment or clinical approach is stated on its website.
However, I like how the course materials follow a step-by-step, progressive program that includes video, audio, and homework materials. The Marriage Fitness program aims to challenge the way you think and behave in certain situations, which is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy and solution-focused therapy.
Marriage Fitness aims to assist with a range of marriage-related issues, such as
Infidelity
Emotional neglect
Lack of affection
Divorce
An obstinate spouse
Anger
Separation
Trust issues
Physical intimacy
Rejection
Emotional infidelity
Depression
Money conflicts
Communication issues
Anger
Midlife crisis issues
Addictive behaviors
Secrecy issues
How to Get Started with Marriage Fitness
Signing up
I found the signup process very quick and simple. If you want the complete course, including video, audio, and written materials, head to marriagemax.com, click on “Start Now” in the top-right corner of your screen, and then choose “The Marriage Fitness Online Boot Camp.”
The next screen contains further details on what’s included, such as course content and reviews. At the bottom, you’ll find two different “tracks”: “The Lone Ranger Track” for individuals, and “The Duo Track” for couples. These contain nearly identical course content, but some materials are specifically for couples. You will then proceed to payment options, which require your name, email address, and card information.
If you’d prefer the audio-only version, go to marriagefitness.com/audio-program, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, and click on “Order Now.”
Getting matched with a counselor
Marriage Fitness gives you self-help materials to repair and maintain your relationship. All therapy is delivered via video courses and other materials, with Mort Fertel as your virtual counselor.
This means that, unlike traditional counseling and other e-therapy platforms, you will not be matched with a counselor. However, as part of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to speak to Mort Fertel directly online during three telehealth conferences.
These take the form of live Q&A sessions scheduled throughout the year for all Marriage Fitness customers to attend. They’re also recorded, so if you’re unable to attend you can submit questions beforehand that you’d like him to answer.
Booking sessions
I particularly like the fact that the Marriage Fitness content can be taken at your and/or your spouse’s own pace. To help you track your progress, the course includes an implementation schedule. This is designed to guide you through the extensive materials step-by-step. However, you do not have to adhere strictly to the schedule and can choose which topics you’d like to cover.
The telehealth conferences occur once a month for three months. You’ll be sent an email beforehand with the date, time, and an access link.
Confidentiality and Privacy
The Marriage Fitness privacy policy statement claims that any personally identifiable information you supply will only be used to fulfill your specific requests. Furthermore, you’ll be asked whether you wish your data to be used for any other services (for example, marketing emails). You can contact privacy@MarriageMax.com for any personal information queries.
Is There a Marriage Fitness App?
Currently, there is no Marriage Fitness app for Android or iOS. The platform is only available via its website using a PC, Mac computer, or tablet/smartphone device.
The website and course materials are optimized for smartphones and tablets, and I found website navigation and visual display to be perfectly functional, clear, and easy to use.
Help and Support
You can contact Marriage Fitness with any questions via the Contact button in the top-right corner of the website. You’ll proceed to a form that requests your name and email address, and provides a text box for your question. You can also email Marriage Fitness directly at hello@marriagemax.com or contact their support phone line at 443-219-8536. The website does not state hours of operation or wait times for customer service. I sent them an email but at the time of writing, I had waited two days without a response.
However, I found many helpful articles and videos within the “Answers” and “Watch” sections at the top of the website. These cover common marital issues such as falling out of love, communication techniques, and dealing with a cheating spouse.
How Marriage Fitness Compares to Other Online Therapy Providers
Marriage Fitness
TalkSpace
Amwell
Cost per session
$179/month for 3 months or $399 one-time payment
$69-$129
$79-$110
Modes of communication
Video and audio course materials, 3 live teleconferences
Video, phone, message, live chat
Video, phone, message
Accreditation
N/A
PsyD, LMFT, LCSW/LMSW, LPC
MD, NP, PsyD, master’s level therapists
Accepts insurance
No, but partial reimbursement is available
Yes
Yes
24/7 access
No
Yes
Yes
Marriage Fitness Vs TalkSpace
Talkspace is an e-therapy platform that provides counseling and psychiatry services for a variety of mental health issues for individuals, couples, and teens. It connects you with a therapist based on your responses to a screening questionnaire.
Comparatively, Marriage Fitness does not provide support from a therapist, focuses solely on marital issues, and provides you with self-help tools to guide you in repairing and maintaining a healthy relationship.
Marriage Fitness vs. Amwell
Where Amwell operates as an online telehealth platform that connects you to board-certified doctors and therapists, Marriage Fitness is predominantly a self-help program.
Amwell aims to help individuals, couples, and teens with a wide range of physical and mental health issues. Conversely, Marriage Fitness offers extensive video, audio, and homework materials specifically focused on marital and relationship difficulties.
The Bottom Line
I really like that, in choosing Marriage Fitness, you’ll get an extensive range of video and audio material, articles, and homework to help you repair and maintain a healthy relationship. It focuses on finding solutions to common issues, such as managing emotions, dealing with infidelity, and communicating with your spouse.
This self-help boot camp allows you to choose what content suits your current needs, and it provides an implementation schedule to help guide you through the workload. Marriage Fitness is available for $179/month for three months. You’ll gain access to all the materials and can retain them indefinitely should you wish to return to the content.