Marriage counseling is not always a 911 situation. On average, most couples let a problem fester for six years before seeking therapy. Wise couples seek help before things get out of hand. At Lifeologie, we can help you navigate all aspects of romantic relationships – pre-engagement, pre-marital, married, remarried and trying to STAY married – to help turn things around.
We have specialists who can help you with each of these concerns.
So, you two haven’t tied the knot yet… but there are still some kinks to work out? Premarital counseling can help you articulate your expectations for the marriage, enhance your level of intimacy, and iron out unresolved past conflicts.
When a relationship first begins, people tend to put their best foot forward. As we get more comfortable, we let the facade slip little by little. And we take off the rose-colored glasses. The moment the honeymoon ends is often also the moment couples get real. Marriage counseling can help you conquer the honesty hurdle and ease you into the next phase of your relationship.
Most couples cite communication as the primary reason they seek therapy. Typically poor communication is an indicator of fragile connection. Fortunately, marriage counseling can avert unnecessary disagreements and help couples improve listening and conflict skills, leading to a lasting connection.
Most married couples have shared assets and expenses: shared bank accounts, shared debt, shared obligations. Financial disagreements in marriages tend to represent power struggles in the relationship. Counseling for financial issues can help you reach a consensus about budgets and help you navigate the tricky situations that become more common as couples build a life and create a family together.
Differing expectations about sex can easily become a touchy subject in most marriages. Marriage counseling can encourage couples to carve out much needed time for intimacy or empower each partner to communicate sexual desires (or lack of) in a judgment-free space.
Marriage counseling can assist the two of you in getting onto the same page about discipline and ensuring an appropriate and healthy structure in the family. The marital dyad comes FIRST – a counterintuitive concept in our child-centered society. A strong marriage is the best thing couples can offer their kids. They are learning how to be married by watching you.
The longer that a relationship lasts, the more likely that resentments can take root. Resentment is the accumulation of small and seemingly trivial aggravations, culminating in lasting bitterness, loneliness and anger. Resentments can also be rooted deeply in the relationship, planted by infidelity or some other betrayal. Resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies. Everyone loses. Effective marriage counseling can heal resentments and help you move forward together.
When you don’t know whether to call it quits or keep trudging along, crawling to the finish line. In our experience, most couples at this stage have had lots and lots of bad therapy. Be encouraged by the simple fact that you’re still trying. Good last-ditch marital therapy will focus on fresh points of view and help you tackle solvable problems together.
Paint won’t make a shack a load-bearing structure. Instead, focus on building a new, lasting foundation for a healthy marriage between two healthy people. Don’t give up on yourself or your relationship. Relentless focus on personal responsibility will help you and your marriage become and stay healthy.