What Exactly Is Marriage Therapy?
Couples who need assistance navigating relationship issues like shared obligations, adultery, and more might consider marriage counselling.
A couple may seek professional assistance for their relationship for a variety of reasons. Couples therapy and marriage counselling can be quite successful, especially when started as soon as possible.
Finding a therapist who specializes in marriage or couples therapy is the next step after deciding to try the treatment. To find the best fit, you might need to consult with many therapists. Both parties must be at ease, so keep looking until you find the ideal match.
What does a relationship Counselor do?
A relationship counselor helps you navigate your feelings and look out for the problems which are arising in the relationship. For instance, popularly known as Gottman Method is a type of relationship therapy that is commonly used in helping couples work on their relationship issues. The Gottman Method (from Maslow’s psychology theory) sees relationships as a hierarchy of needs and helps couples work towards better emotional closeness. Other Couples therapy approaches focus on childhood traumas and how they affect today’s relationships in couples (psychoanalytic relationship theory).
A relationship counselor focuses on improving the relationship between the couple by addressing the issues revolving around communication and conflict. Couples Therapy has its ideologies and school of thought as to how to improve romantic relationships and how to minimize the struggles between the couple.
Psychotherapy for marriage: its efficacy
Emotionally-focused couples therapy (EFT), created by Dr. Sue Johnson, is the most researched and successful type of couples therapy. According to research, this treatment is effective and helpful for people of all racial and cultural backgrounds.
For instance, a 2017 study that examined the efficacy of couples therapy in a group of veterans of different ages and races discovered that it was typically beneficial and that relationships had improved even 18 months after treatment.
Improvements persisted 24 months following treatment, according to another study from 2017.
A 2015 study found that EFT was beneficial for couples struggling with infertility.
If your spouse refuses to attend marital therapy
It happens frequently that one spouse in a relationship prefers not to go to treatment. If you decide to undergo counseling, the frequent worries listed below are addressed with your spouse.
Your partner has never previously sought therapy: Tell your partner that getting therapy or counseling together is normal. Instead of trying to dispel their anxieties, educate them about what will occur during a session to make it appear less threatening.
Your partner is concerned that your connection will deteriorate: Try gently reminding your partner that therapy aims to improve your relationship for the benefit of both of you.
The counselor is disliked by your partner: Try choosing a different therapist or counselor together if your partner doesn’t feel comfortable with the current one.
Your spouse won’t talk to you: Try to be patient if your partner refuses to talk about their feelings with a professional. Before a session, they can find it helpful to speak on the phone with the counselor so they can ask questions and feel more at ease.
How Successful Couples Resolve Conflict
It’s critical to understand that even those in long-lasting, fulfilling relationships occasionally run into issues and endure difficulties. According to research, these happy couples also frequently dispute the same issues as unhappy ones. Moreover, 10 Happy Couples fight over finances, children, in-laws, and intimacy. How these couples handle these conflicts is the key to their success.
The research of John Gottman focuses on contented marriages. Although all relationships face difficulty, he has found that because happy marriages are built on a foundation of love and friendship, happy spouses seem to know how to resolve their conflicts. Unhappy couples may have difficulty with this skill set.
Couples’ specific disagreements may also have an impact. Researchers discovered that happier couples tend to concentrate on problems that are easier to tackle in a study that was published in the journal Family Process.
Instead, unhappier couples focus their disagreements on ongoing difficulties that cannot be immediately resolved.
According to lead author Amy Rauer in a news release, “One of the secrets to a long-lasting, happy relationship may be being able to properly discriminate between issues that need to be handled vs those that can be left aside for now.”
Online Marriage Counselling
There are numerous organizations that offer to counsel online, which could, in some situations, be more economical and practical for you and your partner.
Online therapists can offer their services by video, text, phone, chat, or email. Telehealth might develop together with technology: Therapists can help clients navigate difficulties by using the most effective and up-to-date communication tools.
Telehealth may be the primary method of communication for mental health providers and those seeking counseling. People who live in distant areas, have hectic schedules, or have restricted mobility due to a handicap or caregiving duties may find this sort of treatment to be more beneficial because they may receive therapeutic advantages while traveling or at home.
Online marriage counselling may be provided as a stand-alone therapy. It may also be used in connection with a traditional therapeutic process.
How can I recognize a good relationship Counselor?
There are certain signs to look out for if you’re looking for a counselor, such as
- They’re trying to listen to you and your partner without any bias
- You both feel validated
- They want what’s best for you and your relationship
- They check in with both of you from time to time
- If they’re unsure about something, they take the time to educate themselves on it
- You both see them as an ally
- They’ve earned both of your trust
- They’re good at communicating
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