Relationship Counselling: What You Need to Know
How Relationship Counselling Can Make Relationships Stronger
Saying “relationships are hard” is so common that it’s a cliché now. But it’s also true. Even when people get along well, stress and daily life can cause conflicts that seem difficult or impossible to resolve. Relationship counselling can help people in these challenging situations to work through their problems, move beyond them, and be better partners overall.
What is Relationship Counselling?
Relationship counselling also known as couples counselling or couples therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on helping people improve their romantic relationship, work on their communication, improve interactions, and resolve conflicts.
While relationship counselling is often used to address problems, it can be helpful at any stage of a relationship. People in healthy, happy relationships can still benefit from counselling that strengthens communication and connection.
When to Seek Relationship Counselling
Many people believe that you should only seek relationship counselling when separation or divorce is looming. But that is often too little, too late. Relationship therapy should begin as soon as the problems get in the way of your daily life. Here are some signs that you might benefit from a consultation:
- You have trouble expressing your feelings to one another.
- You have one or more unsolvable disagreements.
- There is withdrawal, criticism, or contempt in your interactions.
- A stressful event has shaken your daily life.
- You have trouble making decisions together.
Remember that there is no wrong reason to seek relationship counselling. Some couples start therapy as soon as they are married, even without obvious problems, to build a strong foundation and prevent serious problems from developing. We at Alegna Solutions Psychology Practice can help you become better communicators, develop strong relationship skills, and improve your family’s happiness.
Keep in mind that the average couple waits six years before seeking therapy. This is a lot of time to let problems fester; at this point, troubled relationships are difficult to save. Instead, it’s best to acknowledge problems early and seek therapy as soon as possible.
Relationship problems are not limited to romantic ones, even though it’s the most popular reason people consult for relationship therapy.
Relationship therapy also isn’t just for married people; cohabitating couples, people in non-monogamous relationships, and LGBTQ people can also benefit. It can also be helpful for siblings dealing with family issues, or even business partners.
What to Expect?
The first few sessions may focus on your history and the problems you are there to solve. Be prepared to answer questions about your relationship, your parents, your childhood, and relationship experiences before your current one. We will possibly want to spend some time talking to everyone together and to each member separately.
The most studied style of relationship therapy is emotionally focused therapy (EFT). EFT is based on attachment theory and aims to foster healthy interdependency between members of the couple or family.
Other types of relationship therapy include imago therapy and the Gottman method. Ask us which one we think would be best for your situation.
How to Make Relationship Therapy Effective
Effective therapy depends not only on the skills and experience of our practice but also on the willingness of the couple. There are many things you can do to make your relationship counselling more effective.
- Be honest.
- Prepare yourself for discomfort.
- Listen to your partner(s).
- Put in the time.
If your Partner Refuses Therapy
Even if you believe that your relationship can benefit from booking with Alegna Solutions Psychology Practice, your partner might not be willing to participate. So, what can you do in this situation? It is important to remember that you cannot force your partner into counselling. All you can ultimately do is come see us on your own and work on issues you are facing as an individual.
Relationships are tough and there are times when there are no easy solutions to what troubles you and your partner or family might be facing, we can help. Sometimes people need advice or someone to talk to about what is happening and even why it’s happening.
Relationships can face what’s called the “blame game” where you blame each other for the bad things happening in your lives but it is a temporary rough patch that can most times be helped with a little trust, communication, and boundaries. We at Alegna Solutions Psychology Practice will help you find the path you and your partner or family need. Allowing your connection to fail is detrimental to your relationship. Letting it fester and get worse will almost always end in tears, let us help you and your partner. Be pleasantly surprised after just a few sessions with us.
