Importance of Couples Counselling

1. Importance of Couples Counselling It’s a common misconception that couples counselling means your relationship is having difficulties; however, at Innovative Counselling we believe all couples may benefit from counselling. Several factors, both internal and external to the relationship, may contribute to difficulties and stress between couples. Couples counselling is a type of psychotherapy that helps those involved in a romantic relationship gain insight into their interactions, identify negative communication styles, resolve conflict, and find strategies and tools to improve and strengthen the relationship. Couples therapy doesn’t always have to be used to “repair” a relationship, but could also be a proactive and positive way to end a relationship or marriage.

2. Importance of Couples Counselling Why Couples Counselling is Important? Couples counselling provides couples with a safe space to allow for open communication with a third-party to identify patterns of behaviour or communication that are negatively impacting the couple and/or the family unit. Many times, as hard as they try to resolve the conflict on their own, couples may continue to fall back into learned patterns that affect the couple’s ability to relate and connect with each other, eventually eroding and straining the relationship. The goal of couples and marriage counselling is to help resolve conflicting patterns and behaviours that prevent a healthy progression of the relationship. Couples Counselling is designed to provide insight into these patterns and identify strategies for changing behaviour and communication. Our counselor’s help couples apply goal-oriented efforts toward building a healthy relationship based on respect, support and trust.

3. Importance of Couples Counselling Is Couples Counselling Right for Me? The decision to seek counselling is a personal, yet brave and courageous one. Couples looking for a “quick” fix or short-term solution to relationship-long challenges may not see the progress or changes they had hoped for, as couples counselling requires continuous and consistent awareness for long-term change. Counselling must be a mutual decision and not something that is forced upon the other partner. Both partners should have a desire to gain insight and awareness into the role each person plays in the struggle of the relationship.

4. Importance of Couples Counselling Benefits of Couples Counselling Couples counselling offers a variety of benefits but key concepts include: Re-establishing an emotional connection between partners Chances are, the emotional connection is one of the initial reasons the couple came together. Counselling can help identify and re-establish the foundation of the relationship and help couples rebuild their emotional connection. Improving communication The therapist can identify and challenge negative communication styles and help the couple identify more effective communication techniques and skills to resolve conflict. Developing a mutual understanding Developing a mutual understanding of each other’s differences and how these differences can be respected and accepted by each partner through empathy.

5. Importance of Couples Counselling • Right time for Couples Counselling: • Couples counselling can always be valuable – even in healthy couples looking to make sure they have open communication and guidance. However, there are often signs that a relationship could benefit from outside help: • When you feel like you’re always walking on eggshells. • When you’re fighting with your partner in your mind, even when nothing happened. • When your arguing is starting to affect the kids. • When you would rather be out alone then go home to see your partner. • When the idea of making love, being intimate, or being close isn’t enjoyable. • When the trust is gone or you need to overcome a serious problem. • When you’re always trying to change your partner, not yourself. • When you’re ready to leave what was once a great relationship.

6. Importance of Couples Counselling How to ask your Partner for Couples Counselling? One of the more stressful things about couples counselling is actually getting there. Asking your partner or spouse to attend couples therapy together can be an anxiety-provoking conversation and usually conjures up preconceived expectations or responses that contribute to the stress of the conversation. Below are some suggestions to help the conversation: Identify an appropriate time to bring up the topic, when your partner isn’t overwhelmed or distracted by other stressors. It is typically not a good idea to discuss therapy during a heated argument or conflict. Identify ways to bring up the idea of psychological testing therapy in a non-threatening way. If your partner continues to immediately reject the idea, maybe write a letter or an email expressing your feelings and highlighting the benefits of couples counselling as a way to build and strengthen your connection.

7. Importance of Couples Counselling How Couples Counselling is beneficial for you? Feeling of emptiness or loneliness in the relationship Feeling misunderstood or not heard in the relationship Continuous fighting Having the same argument over and over Infidelity Struggles with intimacy Substance abuse issues Differences in values or worldview Infertility issues that are contributing to conflicts Family conflicts Difference in parenting styles or rules Anger issues

8. Importance of Couples Counselling thank You