Seeking out therapy for concerns within a marriage is a great way for couples to improve their relationship with each other. If you haven’t been to couples therapy before, you may not know how to approach the experience. You’re setting aside the time and effort to go and you want to make sure it works. In this blog post, I will share a few tips to help you and your partner benefit the most from marriage counseling.
It’s easy to tell yourself that marriage counseling is only for couples on the brink of divorce.
You may have noticed that many couples wait until things go awry to seek help. However, waiting until problems arise can be costly because it allows conflicts to grow beneath the surface. You and your partner can benefit the most from marriage counseling by going, even if you aren’t experiencing a crisis. You or your partner may have unhealed trauma surrounding close relationships. Perhaps you both want to experience healing from wounds of the past so your relationship doesn’t succumb to old patterns. Learning healthy ways to relate to one another early on helps you both to grow together instead of apart.
When you and your partner seek marriage counseling, it’s useful to be clear with one another about why you’re going.
Identifying a goal makes it easier to focus on what you want to achieve the most. For example, it could be that your goal is to feel more connected through physical intimacy or quality time. Or maybe you both are navigating a difficult transition in life and you want to ensure your relationship continues to thrive. Perhaps you feel like your communication could flow more smoothly. Discussing what you want to gain from the experience provides a sense of direction. When you identify where you and your partner want to be, you can journey there together. 
Couples who benefit the most from marriage counseling do so by releasing the desire to change their partner.
It’s more helpful to view marriage counseling as an opportunity to change the way you relate to your relationship. Seeing a therapist helps you discover your wants and needs in a relationship and how you both can be happier. Marriage counseling is a place for learning practical ways to increase empathy, love, and connectedness with your partner. You can also learn how to communicate your wants and needs more effectively. By working together with a therapist, you can attain a deeper understanding of yourselves individually and as a couple. When you both know yourselves better, you can learn how to co-create a more fulfilling relationship.
Embracing vulnerability is vital to achieving greater intimacy and connection with your partner, but it can uncover some uncomfortable emotions. Societal expectations would tell you that the only acceptable emotion is happiness. To experience healing, remind yourself that all of your emotions matter deeply, not just the happy ones. Allow them to come forward, be felt, and be seen. When you give yourself permission to be known as you truly are, you can be loved as you truly are. This provides a pathway to a more fulfilling relationship with yourself and your partner. It’s not easy at first, but the benefits of authenticity far outweigh the initial discomfort.
You can benefit the most from marriage counseling by leaning into vulnerability.
Feeling comfortable with the therapist you and your partner are working with matters a lot. You and your partner want a therapist you both can trust to listen without judgment, regardless of what you share. You want someone who’ll engage you and your partner in conversations that inspire a deeper understanding of your relationship. A therapist who equally values what you or your partner shares, without taking sides is invaluable.
You and your partner can benefit the most from marriage counseling by connecting with a therapist who feels right for you.
Our practice is a space dedicated to making you feel seen, known, and accepted as you are without judgment. If you’d like to begin marriage counseling, contact us today! Our knowledgeable staff will be glad to help you connect with a therapist who is a great match for your needs.
At Me-Therapy our therapists specialize in supporting people of all lifestyles and lovestyles. In addition to couples and relationships therapy, we also offer marriage counseling, sex therapy, affair recovery counseling, and poly-friendly kink-aware therapy. All of these services can be provided in-person at our St. Petersburg, FL counseling clinic or virtually anywhere within the state of Florida.
To begin, just follow these simple steps:
- Contact Me-Therapy to request an appointment
- Meet with a couples therapist
- Begin your journey to a more fulfilled relationship today
