Couples Therapy

Are You And Your Partner Having Trouble Communicating?

Do you have the same arguments over and over again?

Does it seem as if you have different perspectives on everything?

When you try to have honest conversations, does it lead to tension?

Perhaps you are afraid to discuss certain topics if you feel like it may upset your partner. Or maybe you are hesitant to talk about anything at all because you feel like it would only cause more problems. Not being able to speak your mind might be making you feel even more emotionally disconnected from one another.

Any Relationship Can Get Complicated

Reconnecting with your partner can seem impossible when life is always getting in your way. Effectively balancing career demands, household responsibilities, and familial obligations can be challenging for anyone. And arguments over raising children or finances can add extra tension to an already precarious situation.

When there are relationship or marriage problems, it might seem as if your partner doesn’t understand you. You want to know that they value and respect your opinion. While it may seem impossible right now, there is always hope you can improve your communication to strengthen your relationship.

Most Relationships Will Have Highs And Lows

It is common for couples to have issues with communication and conflict resolution. Most will go through periods where everything is smooth—then something changes.

We live in a fast-paced society with so much to do and very little time to get it all done. Relationships are usually put on the back burner as we cope with everything else.

Prioritizing other aspects of life over a relationship or marriage can lead to problems within that unit. That is when communication issues will begin to appear for most couples.

There are many reasons why a communication breakdown occurs. Each person within a relationship has a distinct past, different values, and their own unique experience growing up. As a result, individuals can unintentionally create unrealistic expectations—either spoken or unspoken—for partners to follow.

Barriers between partners can also inhibit personal growth and prevent the relationship from evolving. With couples therapy, you can work on shattering these barriers for a better marriage or relationship.

Therapy Can Help Couples Find New Meaning

Right now, you may feel like everything is too broken to heal your relationship. However, working with a counselor who is trained to work with couples can help you glue the pieces back together.

Therapy provides a safe space for each partner to be present and candid. As trained therapists, we do not take sides with anyone. We address the problems in a marriage or relationship by providing a collaborative place to speak freely.

Counseling allows couples to open up new lines of communication. It teaches couples how to listen to each other and understand what is said. It helps them to see that not every word or action is an insult aimed at each other.

Working with a couples therapist can be easier than working through your problems alone. We can help you understand your own stories and how they have contributed to the breakdown in communication.

My Approach To Couples Therapy

To begin the process, I offer a 20-minute phone consultation to get insight into what is causing tension and stress in the relationship. Then, during the first appointment, we will talk more in-depth about problem-solving techniques used in the past, how they may or may not have helped, and how we can adjust those strategies to be more effective. We will also discuss goals and what you want to achieve from counseling.

A part of my approach to providing couples counseling services is having partners work together outside of therapy to facilitate healing on their own. That may include working on communication skills, doing writing exercises, or performing activities together. In our next session, we will talk about the outcomes experienced between our meetings and develop a game plan to continue the forward growth.

In therapy, we help couples understand how their viewpoints affect their connection. We don’t believe that there is a “one-size-fits-all” approach to anything in life, especially for couples in therapy. So counseling may involve readjusting plans if something doesn’t work for your situation.

Counseling Helps Couples Recognize Negative Patterns

As a therapist, my goal is to support you both with the issues you are facing. I believe that everything in life is connected. The blame should not be placed on each other, but the system and learned behaviors that have resulted in conflict and stress. It’s easy to stay in the same place because it is comfortable and what we know. I let this philosophy inform my work with couples to help them overcome the challenges in their relationship.

Just because couples are in therapy doesn’t mean they blame each other. Therapy is about understanding that something is no longer working. Like so much else in life, there is hope for the things that are broken. When you repair a relationship, it may not be exactly how it was before it changed. But, the result is often a relationship that is even stronger than it was at the beginning.

You May Still Have Questions About Therapy For Couples…

What do I do if my partner doesn’t want to participate in therapy?

In many circumstances, it is beneficial for both partners to attend. However, it is not necessary. If you are struggling to get your partner to agree to therapy, it’s ok. You can still benefit from processing any marital distress or issues you are facing. Chances are, your partner may see how beneficial therapy has been to you and change their mind.

Won’t therapy just bring up all our old fights?

Although therapy may require us to visit some sensitive topics from the past, most clients find that it isn’t as scary to do it in a therapeutic setting with a counselor. I will give you tools, knowledge, and guidance on the spot for helping each of you process your thoughts and feelings.

I’m worried that you and my partner will team up against me.

This is a concern that many couples have when beginning therapy. We are trained to never take sides, but if you feel like it is happening, speak up! You may be surprised when you receive a therapeutic response that helps you see things in a different light.

You Can Learn To Improve Your Communication For A Better Relationship

Navigating life and all of its challenges can be difficult for any couple. Just because your relationship has been in distress does not mean it needs to stay this way. If you are ready to see the benefits of couples therapy for yourself, reach out to us today to get started.