Marriage Counseling

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Introduction

Marriage Counseling is a form of psychotherapy that helps couples resolve their conflicts and recognize why the issues in their relationship continues to arise. Counseling for marriage is often necessary being that over time couples begin to lose their middle ground that they worked to create toward the beginning of the relationship. The marriage counselor diagnoses the couple and observes their reactions toward one another to create a treatment plan for the purpose of rebuilding their marriage for long-term success. Marriage counseling is a form of therapy that lasts for a short period of time depending on the situation. Most often the therapy involves both partners in the marriage. On occasion one of the partners may end up going to the sessions alone.

Goals of Marriage Counseling

The focus of marriage counseling is to help a couple build and maintain an intimate relationship. Some partners go to therapy to strengthen their bond and understand each other on a deeper level. This is also a common form of treatment for two people who plan on getting married so that they can straighten out any differences before a commitment. Most attend marriage counseling because they are experiencing a troubled relationship and would like to address specific issues with a neutral party. It's important for the therapist to make their clients realize that an institution can be fixed and begin to flourish if both partners try hard to accept one another's differences and create a union. When integrity is sustained it makes communication and understanding easier.

When is Marriage Counseling Used?

Marriage counseling is often used when a couple is experiencing communication issues with each other. They may not be connecting on an intimate level and this is affecting their feelings or understanding. If there are conflicts pertaining to children or the family, the therapist will focus on the issue by making each other understand the difficulty in family affairs. Substance abuse is a common barrier between two people and it can affect the entire family. Marriage counseling is used to help people in dealing with addictions that might affect their partner. If there is aggression within the relationship or domestic violence the therapist can begin to help the partners deal with this and get individual therapy if necessary.

How Marriage Counseling Works

During marriage counseling the therapist will schedule a joint session and study the two partners to see the indifferences in the marriage or relationship. By having a third party present when differences are addressed it helps the couple remain calm and listen to what the other partner is actually feeling. The therapist will help smooth out the relationship by solving problems that address both individuals. The counselor will help design solutions pertaining to marital issues. At first it may not easy to begin opening up to the counselor in regards to issues and at times these sessions may not bring out communication – but, having the therapist as the mediator allows the couple to cope with turmoil and address an important issue.

If both partners attend marriage counseling and there is a mental illness or addiction present then the therapist may also work with a health care provider to design a treatment plan that helps with the behavior. Majority of the time marriage counseling is a short term affair. The couple may only need a few sessions to fix an ongoing issue. Some may need therapy for months on end depending on their own circumstances. The length of the sessions may be cut off because the couple has made progress and can deal with problems on their own. If during the sessions the therapist finds that one partner needs therapy in dealing with addiction or mental health issues, that partner may begin to take individual sessions. This form of therapy can help two people uncover their concerns and needs so that they both can find common ground and find a way to make the marriage work. The most difficult part is when both partners are making the decision to attend therapy and commit to it. Within a difficult relationship or marriage counseling can be effective and help two people understand each other so that they can deal with the problems correctly when the issues arise. Find an hour that works for the other partner to ensure that it's never an inconvenience when attending a session. There are some health insurance plans that will cover the costs of marriage counseling.

References

Bloom, L. (n.d.). Stronger at the broken places. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/stronger-the-broken-places/201206/thinking-about-getting-marriage-counseling

Kilpatrick, J. (n.d.). What are the benefits of couples counseling before marriage?. Retrieved from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/benefits-couples-counseling-before-marriage-4334.html


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