Couples Counseling and Marriage Counselingare about strengthening the healthy bond between two people.  While couples counseling is most often viewed as something for relationships in trouble, it is effective for many different stages in a relationship. Here are some examples of couples who can benefit from couples counseling or marriage counseling.

• New relationships where the couple wants to lay down a healthy foundation for a better long-term relationship
• Couples that just feel like they are “growing apart” and want to change that feeling
• Couples currently going through a high level of stress outside the marriage or relationship
• Couples going through a major life change
• Couples with a high amount of conflict or who have unhealthy ways of dealing with conflict of any sort
• Couples dealing with a real or perceived incident of infidelity
• Couples who just want to have an awesome marriage

Is Couples Counseling or Marriage Counseling Successful?

Some studies suggest couples counseling can be as much as 80% effective. Really, couples counseling can be successful as long as you desire a better relationship and don’t quit before you begin.  Just by coming in for counseling, you show you are committed and invested in your relationship as well as you are showing show you desire to make your relationship better.

Your commitment and desire coupled with growth through counseling creates a high probability of success.  Believing you have the power to change things for the better in your relationship is half the battle.

What Happens in Couples Counseling?

We first asses where you are at currently in your relationship.  After we understand where you are at, we help you create new paths to that great relationship you desire, giving you the tools and knowledge to be successful decades into the future.

We also help create a safe environment so you can navigate through the biggest issues you are dealing with to get through the roadblocks that keep your relationship back today, making the sky the limit for the happiness in in your future relationship over the coming years.

What if My Partner Does Not Want to Come to Counseling?

It sometimes occurs that one person in the couple is committed to counseling and the other is not.  There are many reasons why your partner may not want to come to counseling and they may not even tell you the full story of why they do not want to come to counseling (like they may be embarrassed or scared).

The good news is, you can still move forward even if your partner is not ready. In every relationship, both people have things they can work on to improve their relationship.  You can start “couples counseling” on your own and learn how you can take steps to make your relationship better.

If you come to counseling with your eye on improving your end of the relationship, without trying to “fix” your partner, you create the opportunity to start improving your relationship today.  Even better, many times, when your significant other sees the positive changes in you and how you are committed to the relationship, he or she will be more willing to come to counseling with you.

How Long Will I Be in Couples Counseling?

It is common to want to know how long couples counseling or marriage counseling takes.  The truth is, we can’t tell you how long you will want to be in counseling until we meet a few times.  Every couple is different and they are all in a different situation therefore everyone will need a different amount of time.  For example, a couple with a healthy relationship who wants to just make things better or wants to get through a temporary situation may take only a few weeks. A couple who is really struggling in their relationship and who must learn new, healthy relationship practices may need months of help (but don’t let that scare you).

Even if you are in the “need a lot of help” boat, couples counseling is almost always less costly emotionally and financially than divorce or separation.  If both people are willing to work together to grow into a healthy relationship, we would like to help you win in your current relationship.

What if I am in an Abusive Relationship?

While couples who are struggling because one member is physically, verbally, or emotionally abusing the other can grow into a healthy relationship, you need to act right away.  If you feel your (or your children’s) health, safety, or life are in immediate danger, please seek a place of shelter right away (click here to find shelter from domestic violence).  Otherwise feel free to meet with one of our counselors to talk about your options as soon as you can.

A Final Note on Couples Counseling

Even if your current relationship looks like it is not going to end well, please come in for help.  It may still be possible to save your relationship.  Just as important, if you don’t make course corrections now, you will bring your own poor relationship practices into the next relationship and may bring in the proverbial baggage from the previous relationship to the new one. If we can’t save this relationship, at least you can have the tools for success in the next relationship.