Your couples counselor will help you identify the destructive patterns within your relationship so you can stop wasting energy doing things that only make the situation worse. Eliminating the hurtful ways you and your partner relate can make room for new mindsets, behaviors and caring conversations.
In couples therapy, you will have a safe space to identify and address the root sources of your conflicts and develop new ways to discuss sensitive or difficult topics. Your therapist can help you identify when you or your partner is becoming defensive, critical or distant. As you learn more about yourselves as a couple, you can also begin to better understand yourselves as individuals. You can identify your own needs and learn how to express them more honestly and comfortably. The ability to clearly ask for what you need while also considering your partner’s needs promotes individual growth as well as increased intimacy in your relationship. Having two emotionally healthy individuals who can share, confide and nurture each other is the best recipe for sustaining a healthy relationship.
Although you may be feeling hopeless right now, with guided support and a willingness to change, it is very possible to feel valued within your relationship and feel connected to your partner again. We have seen couples teetering on the brink of break-up recommitted and connected just a few months later. While your relationship is unique and comes with its own strengths and challenges, with practical solutions in place, it is possible for communication to improve and a strong and affectionate bond to develop.