Couples Therapy – Maybe it’s time to try it!
When you first fell in love, you could never imagine that someday the sound of your partner chewing could make you want to scream. It is inevitable that once we are out of our honeymoon phase and reality sets in, we realise that all relationships take work and compromise. But while some couples may hit bumps in the road ever so often, other couples find themselves in more significant trouble, with neither party knowing exactly how to fix things.
If you are in a relationship that is no longer feeling healthy, here are five warning signs that it may be time to try couples counselling.
There is no longer healthy communication.
Once you have a communication breakdown, you are unable to share thoughts, feelings and concerns rationally. Beyond this, unhealthy communication tends to leave one or both partners feeling depressed, angry and hopeless.
Trust has broken.
When there has been infidelity, it is tough for a couple to rebuild trust and repair the damage. While there is no magic pill to recover from an affair, a therapist can offer tools and strategies to restore confidence.
You feel more like roommates.
If you and your partner act more like roommates than romantic partners, this indicates a lack of intimacy and a potential need for professional help.
One or both of you has begun to act out.
You try to mask your real feelings for as long as possible, but then you start to act out the hurt and resentment you may be feeling. For instance, if your partner has been unfaithful and you have agreed to stay in the relationship and work things out. But over time you find yourself lashing out, acting rude and trying to make them believe you are having an affair so they will feel the same kind of hurt. Acting out is very unhealthy for both of you and is a significant indicator you need support.
When the only solution seems to be separation/divorce
A break from negative cycles of behaviour can be beneficial to the relationship. But when a temporary break leads to more and more time away from home and someone renting a place, this indicates a need for counselling. Spending significant time away from home usually doesn’t lead to any real resolution, just more distance.
If you and your partner are interested in exploring couples therapy and relationship counselling, please be in touch with me. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may able to help.
