If you are struggling in your marriage or partnership and wish to improve your relationship, couples counseling is a good option. With the help of a counselor, you and your spouse or partner can work through the challenges in your relationship, heal, and find a healthier path forward.
Couples counseling is very successful when both partners are invested in putting in the effort, and when they find an experienced counselor to guide them. It’s estimated that it’s up to 75% effective at reducing relationship distress between partners.
When Does Couples Counseling Work?
Relationship counseling is not a magic bullet. It works when you and your partner are willing to go through the process together, and truly want to work things out. Here are a few indicators that couples counseling may work in your situation.
- Willing to put in the work – Therapy is not easy, and it can be difficult. Old wounds and challenges may be brought up, communicating can be tough, and working through your feelings can be difficult. Couples counseling can be very rewarding if you’re willing to take on these challenges and put in the work.
- Have independent goals for yourself– What do you want to do better for yourself? How can you improve yourself to help with your relationship? Independence and goal-setting are very important for relationship counseling.
- Focus on bettering yourself, not changing your partner – This is key. When the focus is on changing your partner, the message often comes across as blaming your partner which is then met with defensiveness. You must each focus on yourselves and how you can improve, and use what you discover to improve your relationship.
- Maintain a good attitude – Couples counseling works when you and your partner maintain a good attitude, listen to your therapist, and are willing to do what it takes to make things better.
- Open, honest communication – Being honest with each other during couples therapy is the only way you and your partner will truly get to the heart of your relationship troubles. A trained therapist can help create a safe environment where you each can be open and honest even when emotions and topics become difficult.
When May Couples Counseling Not Work?
There are some situations when couples counseling may not be the best option, as follows:
- Unsafe relationship – If a relationship creates an unsafe physical and/or emotional environment for one or both partners, couples therapy may not be appropriate.
- Blaming your partner for problems – If you cannot accept responsibility for challenges in your relationship and want to blame your partner for everything, couples counseling won’t work. You must be able to accept feedback and your own responsibilities in the relationship, and how they have contributed to the challenges you’re experiencing in the relationship.
- One person is “checked out” from the relationship – Couples counseling will only work if both of you really want to be there and make things work. If one of you is “checked out” emotionally and is just going through the motions, it will not be effective.
Contact Bayless Integrated Health Center For Couples Counseling Today
Getting professional help for a strained relationship is the best way to live in harmony with your partner, address the issues with your relationship, and continue to love one another in the future. As long as you’re both willing to put in the work, couples counseling is worth the investment.
So don’t wait. If you need couples counseling, contact Bayless Integrated Health Center today. If you are willing to put in the work and be open and honest with one another, our counselors can help you and your spouse or partner find a better path forward in your relationship.