Couples Counseling

The idea of couples counseling seems pretty straightforward, right? A married couple is having problems, so they go to a therapist to fix them. They sit on either side of a sofa and explain to the marriage counselor what they don’t like about their partner. The counselor listens patiently and then provides sage advice. And voila! They have the answer to their relationship issues, and they walk off, hand in hand, into the sunset to live happily married ever after.

Unfortunately, there are several things wrong with this scenario. Marriage is hard work, and couples therapy requires participation, willingness, and commitment from both partners to achieve optimum results.

Not all of your marriage counseling sessions will be spent with you, your partner, and your therapist. Most marital therapy includes individual therapy sessons as well, especially at the beginning of treatment. These one-on-one sessions allow you to share things with your counselor that you might have been reluctant to share in your partner’s presence. They also give your counselor the chance to help you work on your weaknesses and build on your strengths.

You may decide to participate in family therapy sessions if you have children or other family members who may be affected by your relationship problems. When there’s tension between two parents, it can affect everyone in the household. Often stress in a family system can manifest as behavioral or emotional symptoms in younger family members. An example of this may include an adolescent who has developed an eating disorder or substance abuse problem.Family therapy works to improve connections and communication patterns among family members to create a more functional and secure family unit. 

Desert View Counseling & Consulting therapist can tailor your couples counseling sessions to you or your loved one’s personalized needs and follow up as often as needed with therapy to help you or them thrive.

Schedule an in-person or telehealth couples counseling session at Desert View Counseling & Consulting by calling the office or booking an appointment online today.