Couples Therapy

Can marriage counseling help you and your partner reconnect? Every relationship you encounter in life will require work, and the relationship with your partner or spouse isn’t any different. Joining two people with different upbringings, behaviors and personalities together can bring about moments of disagreements, discord and poor communication. In order to work through differences or difficult seasons, many couples consider marriage counseling or couples therapy.

If you have searched the terms “couple counseling near me,” you have likely recognized that the relationship with you and your partner can use a little help. This is actually a great sign. Sadly, some couples wait until there has been a substantial amount of damage done to the relationship before reaching out for help. Even in those situations, however, couples therapy can be a vital component to getting a relationship back on track.

How Does Couples Therapy Work?

If you and your partner are ready to give couples therapy a try, you have likely wondered how this type of therapy works and what may be expected of you. Simply put, couples therapy is a type of talk therapy that can help people in a romantic relationship gain better understanding about the relationship while learning ways to deal with conflict, communication, disagreements, etc.

Because each psychologist and/or licensed counselor may approach marriage counseling or couples therapy a little bit differently, it is important to find one that both you and your partner feel comfortable regarding the discussion of personal matters.

When you begin couples therapy, you can expect to answer some general questions that help the counselor learn more about the relationship’s history, as well as each partner’s upbringing, values, personalities and culture. Some general elements seen in couples counseling include:

• The counselor learning more about specific problems you and your partner are facing in your relationship,
• The counselor treating the relationship rather than individually treating you or your partner,
• The counselor providing you and your partner with solution-focused, change-oriented interventions to help you work through a problem.
• You and your partner receiving clear guidelines regarding treatment objectives.

Breaking Down an Issue in Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling

Couples seek out counseling for a wide variety of reasons; in some cases, there is a very specific problem such as an addiction, chronic illness, financial issues, or infidelity. In other cases, the couple may recognize that there is tension in their communication, emotional distancing, or trust issues. Once a counselor learns more about the dynamic of your relationship and the specific focus of treatment, he or she can start planning a treatment structure.

The counselor you work with will help both you and your partner recognize your role in the problem you are facing, plus understand more about any dysfunctional behaviors that are occurring. Over time, you and your partner will learn techniques and tools that can help you perceive the problem differently while helping you proactively work through the issue.

How Long Does it Take for Couples Therapy to Work?

This is a common question and unfortunately there is no simple answer. Marriage counseling or couples therapy requires both parties to put in time and effort. Successful resolutions to a problem will depend on the specific issue you are hoping to resolve and how much effort you are both willing to devote to it. Couples who have waited years to try a talk therapy approach may have a more challenging and time-consuming road ahead of them, but even in these cases, talk therapy can be quite effective.

No matter the issue you and your partner are facing, always remember there is hope. Couples therapy offers a chance to gain insight into your relationship with one another, increase your emotional expression towards each other, and develop healthy ways to communicate and work through conflict.

Reach out to Jolene today to learn how our marriage counseling and couples therapy sessions can help you and your partner build a stronger, healthier and more loving relationship.