Thinking about marriage counseling? Have any questions about the process? Look no further, we’ve got you covered. Here is everything you need to know.
To begin, there are two things that make marriage counseling the most successful. The first is when both partners are committed to the work. Couples therapy is more difficult if only one partner is on board. The second thing is timing. Don’t wait until your marriage is over to seek help. Instead, use marriage counseling to nip problems in the bud before they become too big. Even better, get ahead of problems before they even exist. It is better to seek marriage therapy early on to build a thriving relationship than to let unhealthy patterns and resentments build for months or even years.
At The Relationship Therapy Center, in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA, we practice The Gottman Method approach to couples counseling. This method focuses on increasing friendship and intimacy within the partnership and removing obstacles to communication. By participating in marriage counseling, couples will have the opportunity to:
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Build greater intimacy. A common cause of divorce is not conflict, but merely a lack of connection. If intimacy has decreased in your marriage, a marriage counselor can help and your spouse determine what the underlying issues are and give you tools and conversations to guide you back together.
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Feel safe to talk about anything. Clear channels of communication are vital for a successful marriage. However, there are times, even in our most intimate relationships, that we fail to bring up issues or questions for fear of potential conflict. Marriage counseling is neutral territory for both partners to bring whatever they need to talk about into the room, including finances, parenting styles, and physicality.
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Overcome infidelity. When we think of infidelity, we usually think of physical betrayal. But infidelity can also mean an emotional or psychological affair. In the therapist’s office, work together as a couple to define fidelity, trust, and commitment. If there has been an infidelity, work with a therapist to uncover the root cause and begin the healing process. As a couple, finding your way back together after an affair will be a difficult and painful journey, but can also be the gateway to renewed commitment and honesty.
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Learn tools for healthy communication and conflict resolution. Each of us handles arguments differently. Marriage counseling can help you and your spouse find common ground and increase understanding and empathy for one another. Dr. Gottman’s research tells us that it is not how often a couple argues that determines their success, but rather how quickly they are able to navigate through and resolve conflict together.
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Navigate expected and unexpected changes. These include having a baby, caring for an ill parent, the loss of a child or loved one, a career change or layoff, and moving. Couples therapy will teach partners how to lean in and support one another when challenges and changes occur.
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Recreate a nonexistent or stagnant sex life. A fulfilling sex life looks different for every couple, but if there is a lack of sexual connection within the marriage, the repercussions can be fatal. Use marriage therapy to focus on your sex life and learn tools and techniques for building both physical and emotional intimacy with your spouse.
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Understand what makes a marriage successful. Our therapists have studied the relationship masters and help you implement practices and behaviors that benefit your marriage. These include having a significantly greater number of positive interactions than negative ones, setting healthy boundaries with one another, supporting each other’s passions and interests, and responding more often than not to what Dr. John Gottman calls one another’s emotional calls, i.e. bids for attention, connection, and affirmation.
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Deepen self-awareness. Similar to individual counseling, marriage counseling is an opportunity to deep dive into your own self and psyche. Attending counseling together invites both partners to learn about themselves, discover their blind spots, state their non-negotiables with grace, lean into vulnerability, and examine areas where each needs to take more responsibility.
Begin Marriage Counseling in Fair Oaks, CA or Roseville, CA:
Marriage counseling is an excellent resource for everything from tune-ups to serious issues. Whether you are a newlywed, have been married for years, or are toying with the idea of marriage, couples counseling is one hundred percent a good idea. Marriage counseling at The Relationship Therapy Center in Fair Oaks and Roseville, CA will give you the tools to take your marriage from “okay” to “phenomenal” by building greater friendship, trust, and intimacy within the partnership.
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Contact our counseling office to get more information about couples counseling and to schedule a free consultation,
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Make an appointment with one of our Gottman trained couples therapists
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Find support and healing in your relationship!
Other Services offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:
In addition to couples counseling, Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Couples Counseling, Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include anxiety treatment, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, codependency counseling and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones.