The truth is that being somebody’s better-half is not easy. Maintaining and keeping up a long-term relationship is a tough proposition. No wonder there are so many divorces! However, to think that couples counseling is nothing but a last-ditch attempt at trying to fix an already broken relationship is just not right. It can be a form of relationship maintenance too. Couples counseling has the ability to resolve underlying issues and help your relationship with your better half get a whole lot better than it is!
So what are the reasons couples choose to go for counseling? Here are the most important ones.
- They keep fighting about the same things: It is said that couples should never go to bed angry. It is one of the most neglected of advice one hears about! Fighting about the same things is an extremely common thing, especially with couples who have been together for a substantially long time. Whether it’s money or an extra-marital affair, the same fight over and over again has the ability to make a relationship bitter. Talking to an outside party who is neutral can be a great way of resolving the issues altogether. It can lead to a happier and healthier relationship.
- There has been a major change in life: A major change in life can cause problems in the life of any couple. It can be anything: from the birth of a new baby to infidelity. It can also be something traumatic such as a serious accident or the death of a loved one. Coping with the mental issues that may arise due to any major life change can be hard and a couple may find it difficult to cope with it. Couples counseling can be a great idea in such cases.
- Emotional support from outside: It is said that one’s better half should not be the only source of friendship and emotional support one depends on. There should ideally be lots of friends and family members involved in one’s life to truly experience happiness. Having said that, if you are getting most of your emotional support from outside your relationship, then it may be cause for trouble. Whether it is from a best friend or a member of the opposite sex, too much emotion dependency from anyone who is not your better half may be a reason to go for couples counseling to repair and heal the broken communication lines.
More than anything else, counselors have the ability and training to bring out the underlying issues in relationships and get the people involved talking about them. Communication is something that gets better with counseling by a neutral third party. If you are having problems with your partner, and you are having difficulty resolving it yourself, then a counselor can be a good idea. Make sure that you find a professional with enough experience in family counseling and therapy. Early steps can reduce the chances of more conflict from happening.