From the days of dating and courtship, through early marriage and the stresses of living together, to child rearing, the middle-age crises, the empty nest syndrome, and beyond – couples face many challenges!
- Poor communication skills
- Unfulfilled Needs
- Repeated/ Ineffective Fights
- Sexual problems & Affairs
- Substance Abuse & Addiction
- In-Law and Family Problems
- Traumatic Past Events & Grudges
- Lifestyle Incompatibility
- Difficulty Expressing and Asserting Feelings and Needs
- Anxiety, Depression, Other Emotional Conditions in One or Both Partners
All of these problems can distort a couples original love and friendship and make it difficult for them to function lovingly and healthfully. Even the normal stresses of family and career can push an otherwise healthy relationship into a spiral of misunderstanding and hurt feelings.
Couples counseling provides needed communication skills training and problem solving to help partners get back on track, and even heal deeper hurts and mistrust that block their capacity to love. New ways of seeing and relating to one’s partner are possible. And even when a couple decides that they are committed to ending the relationship, counseling can help make the difference between adversarial divorce and respectful cooperation. This can help minimize the effects on children.
I especially enjoy the opportunities for dynamic sharing and interactions that couples counseling affords. I tend to use Relationship Enhancement to strengthen couples communication skills, and problem-solving approaches to encourage behavioral change. We also often explore each partner’s family background to understand how their adult relationships have been influenced by the legacy of parental influences and childhood stressors.
For a brief article on couples counseling, click below. The articles suggests counseling if:
- Your Fights are Getting Out of Control
- You Encounter the Same Stumbling Blocks
- You Feel You Are Drifting Apart
And it offers tips for Finding the Right Counselor. Is Couples Therapy Right for You
