Every marriage must overcome obstacles in order to flourish. Marriage counseling may not be the first martial aid you think of, but it could very well be the one that, not only saves your marriage, but makes it even stronger and more fulfilling. In marriage counseling, you’ll learn different techniques that bring about positive effects in your relationship.
1. Improves Communication
Poor communication is the number one reason relationships fail. Listening is a large part of communication and many couples may not listen effectively. Marriage counseling affords you and your partner the coaching you may need in order to improve communication. You will learn how to speak to one another in more supportive and understanding ways thereby significantly decreasing the chances for misunderstandings.
2. Decreases Emotional Avoidance
Oftentimes, couples avoid expressing their feelings, which can put them at greater risk for growing apart. Marriage counseling allows both partners to express their feelings in a safe and non-judgmental setting. This allows each partner to feel less afraid to reveal his or her true feelings, which serves to help the marriage grow stronger.
3. Promotes Strengths
Effective marriage counseling will point out the strengths in the relationship instead of focusing on the weaknesses. While the problem areas will be addressed during marriage counseling, it’s important to also build resilience by being aware of the strengths of the relationship. When a couple is having martial problems, they may lose sight of the strengths and marriage counseling works to highlight those.
4. Changes the View
Marriage counseling also helps couples see the relationship in a more objective way and put an end to the “blame game”. Couples will learn to see problems in a different way to determine what feelings and emotions are actually being displayed.
5. Modifies Behavior
Attempting to change the way that partners behave with one another is a key component in marriage counseling. Couples will learn to interact in a more positive way that is conducive with a healthy marriage. This could include using a time-out strategy to avoid the escalation of conflict or a recommendation for further therapy.
Dr. Amanda Itzkoff is trained in Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in New York, and creates a compassionate, non-judgmental and safe environment for both spouses to feel comfortable. If you are looking for more information about building healthy and strong relationships, please feel free to contact us via email.
Be well,
Dr. Amanda Itzkoff
