Therapy for relationships
A crisis in a marriage or other relationship is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. You may feel angry, alone and afraid, worried about the breakdown of your relationship. All you want is to be loved, and yet you're stuck in a cycle of resentment, blame, fighting or distancing.
You may find yourself having emotional outbursts that you regret or keeping emotions bottled up. Counseling is a safe place to express your feelings, gain perspective, and learn new skills for dealing with challenges in a healthy way.
How individual therapy can help couples
Sometimes relationship problems bring you to therapy but individual therapy is the best approach. What are some reasons?
- Your relationship is in trouble but your spouse/partner won’t consider counseling.
- You feel dominated or unsafe with your spouse/partner, especially when you try to discuss sensitive issues.
- You are in relationship with an alcoholic, drug abuser or someone who is violent.
Therapy works best with the family member who is most willing to change – and that may be you. In relationship therapy you learn the following:
- Change your part in ingrained patterns of conflict;
- Practice better communication skills;
- Set healthy boundaries;
- Manage emotions without engaging in hurtful behavior;
- Address issues with trust;
- Begin to forgive your partner (and yourself) for old wounds.