No matter how wonderful things may seem early on, eventually, all marriages have rough spots. You may think of marriage counseling as an extreme solution, but in truth, counseling can be helpful for most couples.
At Apex Medical Center, Dr. Sung Cho offers family and marriage counseling. Counseling is a great way to smooth the rough edges of your relationship before they start cutting, and it can be a way to decide if things simply aren’t going to work and to reach an amicable end. In this post, we discuss some of the signs that marriage counseling could be beneficial.
If you feel like you could hit “play” on your last argument the next time and get the same result again, it may be time to talk to a counselor. If you and your partner have fallen into a pattern of arguing about the same things again and again and the result is the same each time, you may need some help with communication.
Conflict can be productive, and it can be a way to resolve differences. But, if each argument follows the same script, and nothing changes, resentment can build and that’s not useful.
Intimacy can be defined in different ways, but you know when it’s missing. Whether you’re missing sexual intimacy or emotional intimacy or both, talking to a counselor may be the right way to restore what’s missing.
Some couples find their intimacy flagging in the midst of leading busy lives, caring for families, and nurturing careers. Others are simply too tired to put forth the effort to encourage intimacy. Regardless of the reason, losing close connection with your partner can lead to an unhealthy distance between you.
Whether one of you has been unfaithful, is considering it, or your trust has been betrayed by dishonesty or secretiveness, counseling may offer tools to repair the breach. Cheating doesn’t always spell the end of a marriage. Many couples find they can rebuild their relationship, and in some cases, it’s stronger than before.
Having an extramarital affair isn’t the only way to break the trust necessary for a strong marriage. Telling lies or hiding things are also betrayals, and whether you or your partner or both of you has somehow broken trust, there’s a reason and also a rift to heal.
Even if you and your partner are happy and things are going well, and you have a big life change in the near future, you may want to talk to a counselor. For example, a cross country move, the birth of a child, or a big job change are all circumstances that can upset a happy marriage.
Taking the precaution of talking to a counselor ahead of a transition can help you navigate the transition without any relationship pitfalls to surprise you.
Marriage counseling isn’t only for couples who feel their relationship is in jeopardy. It can be a useful way to avoid fissures in your marriage. Schedule your session with Dr. Cho today.
