COUPLES COUNSELING
You’re tired of having the same fight over and over with nothing ever getting resolved. You just can’t seem to connect with your partner. You feel like you are just not heard or understood. The bond that brought you together seems broken. You’ve caught yourself thinking “I am not sure I love my partner anymore.” Many couples attend counseling long after difficulties have surfaced and seem to have become entrenched. Coming to counseling is often seen as a last ditch effort to save the relationship. Our relationships are such a big part of our lives.They bring meaning and fulfillment in the best times and pain and heartbreak in the worst.
I feel strongly about helping couples with their relationships. I’d be honored to help you with yours.
Couples often attend counseling to help them achieve the following goals:
- Communicate more effectively.
- Understand their partner.
- Practice ways to finally navigate and resolve conflict.
- Learn how to fight fair.
- Renew and increase intimacy.
- Repair trust.
Does Couples Counseling Help?
Yes. In the majority of cases couples find counseling to be of benefit to their relationship. In a review of the literature through mid-1996, Pinsof, Wynne, and Hambright (1996: Pinsof & Wynne, 1995) concluded that significant data exists to support the effectiveness of family and couples counseling.
Research outcomes on couples counseling suggest the following:
At the end of couple’s therapy, 75% of couples receiving therapy are better off than similar couples who did not receive therapy.
Sixty five percent of couples report “significant” improvement based on averaged scores of marital “satisfaction.”
Most couples will benefit from therapy, but both spouses will not necessarily experience the same outcomes or benefits.
What if My Partner Refuses to Attend Couples Counseling?
The willingness and the motivation of each partner are essential ingredients to the success of couples counseling. If your partner is presently unwilling or unable to participate, individual counseling can still be a viable option to help you with your relationship. There is so much to learn including how to gain insight into your own patterns of conduct and perhaps make a few changes that can benefit both of you.