Couples therapy is a form of counseling that helps partners recognize and resolve issues and learn tools for coping with challenges in their relationship, and life in general. We’ve come a long way from therapy being taboo; however, there is still some reluctance from couples to seek therapy. Sometimes partners believe that therapy is a last resort option when, in fact, therapy is good for any relationship that needs guidance or is going through difficulties. Here, we discuss some of the benefits of couples therapy.
Improving Communication
Miscommunication can strain a relationship. Couples can spend all day together and yet have serious communication problems. You may feel that you relayed your feelings clearly, but your partner fails to understand where you are coming from. This can cause bottled-up emotions, leading to explosive arguments or closed-off behaviors. Counseling can help both partners clearly communicate how they feel and how to gently clarify when they are not sure they understand their partner.
Learn to Deescalate Arguments
When arguing, it is hard to get out of the mentality of wanting to be right and wanting to win. This leads to arguments escalating and becoming bigger than the original problem, causing more frequent fights and resentment because neither partner is listening to the other. A counselor can act as a professional mediator that helps both partners communicate diplomatically without getting heated. Therapy enables both partners to learn to reach solutions instead of wanting to prove they are right.
Restoring Intimacy
Intimacy is both emotional and physical and is a big part of a relationship early on, but this doesn’t mean your relationship shouldn’t have any passion. Couples counseling can help you rediscover what initially attracted you to each other and rekindle some of that intimacy.
Helping the Relationship End
Many struggling relationships can work out with time and counseling, but some are better off ending. It may feel like deciding to end a relationship after attending counseling means therapy was a failure, but this is not the case. Counseling could help you see the relationship cannot be fixed, and can help you end it amicably with a lot less pain and volatility.