Couples Counseling

Romantic relationships are hard work. Just like your car or your home, they require regular maintenance if you want to keep your relationship running well. Individual therapy is an option to overcome personal hurdles and grow as a person. Other times, couples counseling may be what works best to focus on improving your relationship.

If you’re unhappy in your relationship and don’t understand why, couples therapy can help you uncover where the dissatisfaction comes from. Over time, the unhappiness can develop into a bigger issue where small problems turn into major fights. If you’re looking to reconnect with your partner, couple’s counseling is a great step to take.

From working with couples in Texas, I learned that arguing between partners is very common and they often trigger each other into repetitive cycles of arguments. This cycle becomes very maddening and frustrating. I totally get it! Unfortunately, a lot of couples lose the intimacy they once shared (and now strongly crave!) but marriage counseling can help break down the feelings of frustration while working through conflict resolution to help you reconnect.

Common Relationship Problems

There are many questions you could ask yourself about your relationship before you start couples therapy. But, if you feel like you don’t know the person you’re lying next to in bed anymore and it feels like you’re always avoiding each other, it’s time to see help.

Research shows that the average couple waits six years before seeking couples counseling. This means that the average couple is unhappy for a long period of time before they seek help. That doesn’t mean couples therapy can’t be effective in resolving long-standing issues between couples but six years is a long time to be in an unhappy relationship. Many clients have told me they wished they started marriage counseling sooner.

Don’t wait. There are many benefits to couples therapy.

There are Many Benefits to Couples Counseling, Including:

Couples counseling can be beneficial for many people in a relationship but especially for parents. We often get lost in parenthood as we shuffle our children from one place to another. Therapy can help you set priorities as a couple and help you develop better parenting strategies. Another benefit to couples therapy when you’re parents is it can help you manage life transitions more effectively while also creating more beneficial patterns of interaction with each other.

Whether you’re looking for ways to improve your relationship by becoming a better listener or you are trying to develop strategies that will make you a stronger couple, TherapyWorks can help.

What if My Partner Doesn’t Want to Go to Couples Counseling?

This is a fairly common scenario in couples therapy and how you approach it can make a big difference. Try not to just spring it on them and insist that they go. Maybe talking to your partner in depth, about why you feel like trying couples therapy, will help them understand you better. Another alternative to in-person couples therapy in Texas is trying online couples counseling.

If they’re still hesitant, remember that you can attend therapy on your own. I have worked with clients who came without their partner and I have helped them strengthen their own self-improvement and personal growth, which had positive effects on the relationship with their partner.

What Does Couples Counseling Look Like?

I offer a safe, warm and non-judgmental space, where I won’t tell you that there is something wrong with you or try to make you feel guilty. I am interested in you and what both of you have to say.

The process typically begins with an assessment of your relationship looking at issues like emotional intimacy, communication, and other frustrations you may have. I will help you specify the issues you want to address in therapy. I will guide you to gain insight into the dynamics of your relationship which affect and maintain your issues, and then try to help you change these problems. I also might assign homework for you to apply the skills we worked on in session to your daily life.

Weekly or bi-weekly visits are typical. After your initial treatment sessions, you might return periodically for “booster” visits to prevent a future relapse.

It’s normal to be nervous or even overwhelmed while you make the decision to call a therapist and take the first step towards getting help. Your willingness to explore this option and take the first step shows how brave you can be and how much you care about improving your relationship.