Even if you’re personally open to therapy, asking your partner to attend couples therapy or counseling can be challenging. After all, your goal is to heal your relationship, but sometimes, suggesting therapy seems like it’ll do the opposite. However, if you’re both open to the process and willing to take the time to find the right therapist, it can be gratifying for you both as individuals and as a unit.
Whether you’re looking for healthier ways to disagree with your spouse or you want a safe space to talk about feelings of neglect and loneliness with your partner, there are plenty of reasons to attend couples counseling. But, before you look for a therapist, consider these benefits.
You can improve your communication skills.
You may be attending marriage counseling for the first time, or you might be trying couples therapy again after a few years away. Wherever you are on your emotional journey, most couples can benefit from practicing healthy, respectful communication skills. One way to spot a communication breakdown is to look at how you argue with your partner. Do you respectfully disagree on key points and agree to take a mutual break if things get heated? Or, does one of you call names while the other turns a cold shoulder?
Like family therapy, marriage counseling or couples retreat therapy can empower partners to find new ways to handle disagreements with empathy and compassion. This can help heal disconnection in a relationship and restore intimacy between spouses and partners. Working with a marriage counselor to further hone your communication strategies can help you reclaim your spark even if you don’t think you have communication problems.
Couples counseling can help you resolve lingering conflicts.
So often, when we argue with our partners or spouses, we focus on one specific incident instead of addressing the root causes of certain behaviors and their effects. Whether you’re a married couple trying to recover after infidelity or you’re spotting cyclical conflicts that are leading to a troubled relationship, marriage counseling or a therapist with years of experience can help you establish healthier emotional baselines and identify the root causes of major conflicts between you and your partner. The good news is that willingness to address relationship issues in various settings means that you’re more likely to be able to address lingering conflicts within your partnership.
Even if you’re dealing with serious issues or previous traumas, a good therapist or psychologist may be able to help you find better ways to cope in the face of relational trials. Whether you’re in your first year of marriage or you’ve been dating someone for several years and you want to refocus your emotional bond, the first step is often couples therapy.
Counseling gives you opportunities to restore trust.
In marriage therapy or couples counseling, there are often instances of lost trust that can affect the trajectory of a relationship. When you find a couples counselor that’s a good fit, it can enable you to make a healthy assessment of your relationship’s status and reassess where your trust is at effectively. You can set goals, address the different reasons that you may have lost trust in the first place, and discuss regaining spiritual and emotional closeness. It’s easier to build a healthy relationship with a counselor there to help you develop better connections with yourself and your partner.
Couples therapy, individual therapy, and marital therapy can benefit different couples in different ways. Take a look at your relationship’s unique needs to determine what kind of counselor would be best for you and your partner. With these tips in mind, you can set a course for a healthier relationship.
