The number of married couples in the United States has increased from 40.2 million in 1960 to over 61 million by 2018. Unfortunately, ’til death do us part is an unfulfilled vow for many married couples, who end up getting a divorce.
However, the divorce rate has gone down since 1990, perhaps partly thanks to couples counseling.
Couples counseling has proven over and over again to help save relationships, especially marriages. Let’s talk about how it works.
How Do I Know When to Seek Couples Counseling?
A certain amount of conflict is common to every relationship. But when the conflict becomes so great that conversations seem to always end up in an argument, the relationship suffers. It can be very difficult for couples to get back on track.
This is where couples counseling comes into play. It is essential to move past conflict and to move back toward healthy communication. When communication is restored, the conflict can be resolved. A professional counselor can help the couple develop easy strategies that will restore their communication again.
Developing Better Communication with Each Other
Sometimes couples wait too long to seek help and instead revisit the same argument over and over again without resolving the problem. Counseling will help to get past that and to the heart of the issue.
Hurdling a conflict is often problematic for couples because the conflict is seldom over a single issue. It’s easy to become myopic: Winning the argument becomes more important than solving the issue, so the conflict continues to build and cause separation.
This is where third-party intervention is crucial.
A professional counselor or psychologist can assist the couple with seeing the big picture and will help them both to resolve the issues in a respectful and healthy manner. This third-party feedback and insight can help the couple avoid future conflict – and when they do have conflict, they know how to approach it so the communication is healthier.
Couples Counseling Through a Difficult Event
Any couple who stays together for any length of time will experience a difficult life event. It may be the death of a family member, the loss of a job, or the diagnosis of a chronic or severe illness.
Disappointments, sadness, and tragedy are a fact of life, but this can place stress on the relationship. Instead of growing closer through a trying time, some couples become somewhat estranged from each other. The sorrow affects both partners, and they will each deal with it differently. Mourning doesn’t have specific rules. A marriage therapist can help both people see how they’re dealing with the issue differently.
One partner might believe that he or she is suffering more than the other, or wonder why their partner doesn’t seem to notice their sadness. Isolation develops, and communication either becomes icy or stops altogether. When this happens, the original tragedy continues to ravish their lives through an ever-dissolving relationship.
But there is help and hope.
Caring Psychiatrist in Connecticut
Couples’ counseling provides perspective and brings clarity in a difficult time. You needn’t sacrifice your relationship by doing anything – a specialized couples therapist can assist you in learning how to get through the rough patches together. You will learn how to grow closer in the process rather than further apart.
Psy-Visions assists couples in staying on track in their relationships. You can achieve a healthy, vital relationship together, and Dr. Stracks can help.
If you would like more information or to request an appointment, call us today at (203) 405-1745 or request an appointment via our online form. We look forward to hearing from you.
