Couples Counselling
Couples counselling, also known as marriage counselling, is a type of counselling for intimate partners. It addresses conflicts between the partners, is often short-term, and focuses on specific problems. Other goals of couples counselling are improving communication and interactions and strengthening relationships.
While couples counselling is not a guarantee that the relationship will last, many couples find benefits that help them resolve issues and strengthen relationships. Intimate partners can establish or grow better communication, honesty, and trust, which are the foundations of healthy relationships.
Additionally, couples counselling can help to improve feelings of security in the relationship, increase positive feelings the partners have toward each other, enable couples to cooperate, decrease stress, and provide the couple with tools to overcome future challenges together.
Couples counselling can address a wide variety of issues relating to relationships of intimate partners. This may be specific relationship challenges, such as arguing or having different plans for the future, or problems of one partner that affect the relationship as a whole, such as unemployment.
Common Areas for Counselling
• Affairs and infidelity
• Anger
• Communication problems
• Blended families
• Emotional distance
• Financial challenges
• Future planning
• Getting ready for marriage
• Infertility or decisions about having children
• Major life adjustments
• Parenting conflicts
• Physical and mental health challenges
• Responsibility disagreements
• Sexual difficulties
• Substance abuse
• Unemployment
Supporting Existing Relationships
Additionally, couples counselling is an option for couples with no specific problems to address who want to strengthen their relationship.
Couples counselling involves conversations between romantic partners and a professional qualified therapist who provides counselling.
Discussion generally focuses on a specific problem or issue that is the reason for seeking counselling, as well as goals for working together.
The process also involves strategies and learning skills to improve the relationship, such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, and strategies for discussing differences and overcoming problems together.
How Family Counselling Helps
If you’re having problems as a family, whatever’s causing them, family counselling can help the whole family to communicate better, and to understand and resolve differences.
When families go through change, it can be difficult to learn to adapt. Counselling can help family members to support one another through these difficult times, to reduce conflict and arguments and grow stronger as a result.