Well before you made the decision to make the relationship “official”, or if you are married, said, “I do”, you were working on your relationship. And while dating and marriage can provide some of the greatest rewards we can experience, relationships can also be a source of hurt, frustration, and despair. Whether figuring out how to get through that seventh-year slump, negotiating how to prioritize the relationship after having kids, dealing with finances, or infidelity, relationships are work and offer many opportunities for us to learn and grow. In many cases, individuals wait until their relationship is on the verge of breaking before they seek treatment, and while couples counseling/marital therapy can have a dramatic impact on a relationship at that point, the best use of relational therapy is to use it as a tool of growth versus as a last-ditch effort in crisis.
Couples Counseling Requires a Lot of Work.
It requires honesty and transparency, empathy, and accountability. But the payoff can be beyond words. Gaining a deeper understanding of how your partner thinks, how they receive love, what hurts them, and how to effectively communicate with them are tools that empower a couple to heal, to love fully, and to continue growing well beyond their time in therapy.
Whether you are in a space of crisis or exploring if the relationship is ready to take the next big step, we are here to partner with you. While no one can guarantee the outcome of therapy, we promise that if you engage the process at 100%, we will match your commitment at that same level, and you will certainly see change take place.
What Can You Expect From Marriage Counseling and Couples Therapy?
It is important to note that commitment is key. In most cases, relational therapy requires at least an 8-week commitment, keeping in mind that the relationship didn’t get to its current state overnight. This commitment allows for adequate time to thoroughly identify what is distressing the relationship, identify coping strategies and intervention techniques, and time to see the impact of those interventions on the relationship. We want to be clear that we are not suggesting that the process will only take 8 weeks, but that in many cases that is the amount of time necessary to begin to see real change.
Intake Process for Relationship Counseling
For the first one to two sessions, the goal of the meeting is to lay the groundwork for the process of therapy. This will include helping you to understand the therapeutic process, setting expectations, and gaining an understanding of what concerns prompted the therapeutic interaction.
Gottman Couples Therapy, EFT Therapy and Other Approaches
Week three and beyond is where your therapist will use evidence-based treatments to help you and your partner work through the areas that have created dysfunction in the relationship. Using techniques from Family Systems, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Gottman Strategies, you will be equipped with the necessary tools to listen differently and communicate more effectively, as you build more functional systems within your relationship.
Termination of Relationship Counseling
The final few weeks will be focused on reflection, as a means of allowing you and your partner to ensure that your treatment goals have been met. Additionally, your therapist will help you to create a plan that allows you to move forward healthily beyond the therapeutic encounter.
Receive Couples Counseling in Columbus
If you could benefit from this process, don’t hesitate to contact us today.