Picture this: You and your spouse are talking over things, planning for the future, when a fight erupts. You both just can’t seem to agree on the same thing. You have your viewpoint, and they have theirs. What happens next? You can either stew over the fight, and enjoy emotional gridlock. Or, you can go to marriage counseling to figure it out and find a healthy compromise that works for both of you. Couples counseling has so many benefits to a relationship. Whether you are in the midst of a disagreement or in a secure relationship, everyone can reap the benefits of marriage therapy.
What Is Marriage Counseling?
When I ask people, “What is marriage counseling really about” most assume it’s about solving conflicts and fights. Did you know that you could benefit from marriage counseling, even if your relationship was in good shape? For a quick overview, marriage counseling can do the following:
- Help with better communication
- Provide fresh perspectives
- Build better trust and support
- Offer guidance
- Create a safer place to talk about differences
Getting guidance in your marriage doesn’t mean that you are having issues! Nothing of the sort. Marriage counseling can help you navigate life’s challenges together. Even more, it can improve the future of your relationship in so many ways.
The Benefits of Marriage Counseling
Marriage counseling can help iron out the wrinkles in your relationship. Here are some of the many benefits that you can experience if you start going to couples counseling with your partner.
1. Have a Sounding Board
Sometimes, you may feel that if someone else could just repeat what you were saying, your spouse would listen. Or maybe, your spouse feels the same way.
Having a neutral third party to listen to your conversations and your problems can go a long way for the two of you. It can add to you feeling heard and understood, even if you end up compromising or taking your spouse’s side on a topic..
Additionally, if you are having issues with your partner, you can use your therapist to discuss new ideas and solutions. Collaborating this way helps address both sets of concerns. Even more, it ensures that you come to mutually agreeable solutions that work for everyone!
2. Get to Know the Underlying Relationship Dynamics
You may think that since you are in the relationship, you have a pretty good idea of the dynamics of the relationship. However, when you are deep in something, it can be hard to see how it actually functions (or does not function).
When you go to couples counseling, you can better understand how your relationship is actually working in terms of its dynamics.
This is especially true for individuals who tend to compare their current relationship to past relationships or preconceived notions of what a relationship should be. Therapy can help eliminate these hidden forces and make your relationship run smoother and feel warmer again.
Marriage counseling can benefit the relationship dynamic by helping both parties understand how one another communicates, so that closeness and intimacy improve.
3. Gain Insight into Other Perspectives
In the heat of things, it is easy only to see your side of things. However, marriage counseling can help you consider each other’s perspectives (and your personal blindspots) with more confidence and less drama or stress.
Think about it. When you can’t see your partner’s side of an argument, the argument usually gets worse. Therapists can help shed a light on these miscommunications to help improve your connection.
Not only will that help the current disagreement, but can also be helpful for future ones.
4. Learn Different Coping Strategies
No relationship is perfect. Even the most stable ones can become stressful, especially when outside factors get involved.
When this happens, it is vital to have a coping mechanism that reduces the stress instead of adding to it.
Couples therapy helps to introduce healthy coping mechanisms that can help you solve issues and deal with problems in a healthy manner. This can help save you from arguments or further damage to a relationship.
5. Restore Lost Trust
It’s no secret that the core of a healthy relationship is built on trust.
Contrary to popular belief, most relationships go through times when trust is either lost, fractured, or in question. This could be due to many factors like uncertainty, lies or infidelity, but gaining that trust back can take a long time, unless you have a skilled guide to show you the way.
Seeing a marriage counselor can help you move forward with learning to trust again as they help you navigate through the pain and confusion. This restoration of trust can continue into the future and help you relax during difficult conversations.
Couples Therapy: The Benefits of Counseling
There is no denying it – there are so many benefits of marriage counseling that you cannot ignore! From regaining lost trust in a relationship and creating healthy coping mechanisms to allowing you to gain new perspectives and a deeper understanding of one another, marriage therapy can help your relationship thrive!
If you are ready to transform your relationship and deepen connection with your partner, reach out to me today to set an an appointment or ask any questions you may have. With over 20 years of experience in the field, I can help you gain that clarity you need to enjoy a lifetime of love.
