Marriage Counseling and Couples Therapy

If your relationship is not where you want it to be, you both know it, you aren't sure how to make it better or even if you even want to, marriage counseling is the best next step. Even if you ultimately decide that you want to end the relationship, marriage counseling helps you to understand yourself and your partner and make better, well-thought-out choices.

Marriage counseling, or couples therapy (because not every couple is married) helps couples rebuild a relationship by providing tools for better communication, resolving conflicts and differences and even helps keep you on track when you argue.

There are many causes for stress in a marriage. Sometimes there are specific issues such as an affair, sexual difficulties, conflicts about child rearing, cultural differences, blended families. Other times there is a gradual fading of romance, a lack of interest and caring, a case of two people growing more and more distant.

Some partners hope that relationship problems will disappear. Left on its own a bad relationship usually gets worse and creates additional stress and unhappiness for each of the partners. Children, family members and job performance outside of the marriage can suffer as well when a relationship is in trouble.

Marriage counseling can help couples that plan to marry to resolve differences before the wedding. It is useful as well for couples wanting to strengthen their bond and understand themselves and each other better.

If your partner refuses to attend marriage counseling sessions, go on your own. You can benefit from learning more about yourself and your relationship. Change in one partner always affects the whole relationship.

See: "Making Your Marriage/Relationship Better Using Marriage Counseling or Couples Therapy"

Encino Family Therapist