When the honeymoon phase of your relationship wears off, there’s a good chance some issues will be unearthed that you and your partner will need to address. Some of the most common problems that lead marriages to fall apart involve finances, a lack of intimacy, not having a shared vision of success, or being unable to resolve conflicts.
While maintaining a long-term relationship can be difficult, there are also countless benefits of being in a good, healthy long-term relationship or marriage.
If you and your partner are facing issues, whether they are new or have been on the back burner for years, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s time to throw in the towel.
Are you wondering what the benefits of seeing a marriage counsellor are? Let’s take a look at seven of them.
1. It Can Help Younger Couples Establish Healthy Communication Patterns Early On
One of the benefits of marriage counseling is that it can help couples early in their marriage to set up healthy communication and habits. One specific study found that couples can feel empowered to take action to maintain their relationship over the long term when they’ve undergone counseling before they got married.
In general, it has been found that more positive outcomes occur for couples that seek help earlier rather than waiting. Counseling can be very beneficial to couples if they seek counseling before the problems get too severe.
However, it can still be beneficial for couples that are considering divorce to see a marriage counselor.
2. It Can Help to Deepen Intimacy Between You and Your Partner
Long-term relationships can lead people to fall into patterns of comfort and routine. This can lead to a decrease in intimacy. On top of that, having stressful issues between you and your partner can leave the relationship devoid of an intimate connection.
When you and your spouse are having relationship problems, it can seriously disrupt your intimate relationship. When you see a marriage counsellor to start working out your issues, it can help to rekindle the flame you feel you’ve lost.
3. It Can Help You Learn Effective Communication Techniques
One of the most important skills that many people gain from marriage counselling is communication skills. These techniques can help you learn how to communicate with your partner in an effective way. However, they can also help you learn how to communicate with people other than your partner in work and in life.
In counselling, you’ll learn how to express your thoughts clearly, show empathy, listen actively, and avoid the temptation to make personal attacks.
4. It Can Help You and Your Partner Heal Old Wounds
It is common for couples to get to a point in their relationship where they feel they can’t move forward because of old wounds that haven’t been fully healed. Whether the issue is infidelity, money problems, or something else entirely, old issues typically need to be addressed before couples can move forward.
By working through issues that have festered over years, couples can have the opportunity to become closer and renew their commitment to one another and the relationship.
Are you wondering if you should see a marriage counselor? Here are 10 tell-tale signs.
5. It Can Help You Learn How to Resolve Conflicts As They Happen
While there are likely old issues that will be dealt with in marriage counselling, the process can also help you learn how to resolve conflicts in real-time. Unfortunately, it’s common for people to avoid issues until they build up and become insurmountable obstacles.
With counselling, you have the opportunity to practice conflict resolution techniques in a safe environment. With time, you’ll learn how to use these techniques when problems crop up so that they can be effectively resolved.
6. It Can Help You and Your Partner Set Goals and Priorities
When we fall in love, the process isn’t always filled with tons of planning or thought. As the honeymoon phase of marriage fades away, it can become clear that goals and priorities differ between each of you.
Marriage counselling can help you and your partner set goals and priorities that are important to both of you. Whether you want to save money to travel or purchase a home, having a shared understanding of your goals is the most important first step to obtaining them.
Similarly, counseling can give you the opportunity to understand what your shared priorities are. Are you both interested in prioritizing your careers, parenthood, or something else? This is also a chance to analyze whether you’ve been de-prioritizing your marriage, why that is, and whether you’d like to make it more of a priority in the future.
7. It Can Help You Understand Yourself and Your Spouse Better
When you’ve been in a relationship for a long time, it’s easy to start taking your spouse for granted. Not only do you not notice the great things about them, but you also hyperfocus on the things that they do that annoy or bother you.
Through counseling, you can reconnect with your spouse and remember to be empathetic to them as a person. It’s also an opportunity for you to get to know yourself better, including where your personal challenges lie and what you want out of life and your relationship.
Is It Time For You and Your Spouse to See a Marriage Counsellor?
Are you finding yourself googling “marriage counsellor near me” or “best marriage counsellor“? When you have relationship problems, it can be tempting to ignore them and push them to the backburner. However, addressing them is essential for you and your spouse to move forward towards a healthy, happy life together.
If you’re looking for a marriage counsellor in Townsville, request an appointment here!