The Potential Issues With Couples Therapy

In the 21st century, humans have evolved significantly. In addition to the advancements in the field of technology, there is massive progress in the area of health care. Mental health care and human relations are also a focus of society.

Marriages and relationships are an integral part of human life; subsequently, human society relies on them. Every marriage and relationship has issues; however, if you can’t figure out the problem, you should try couples therapy with a professional like Positive Reset Mental Health Clinic to salvage your relationship. However, couples therapy doesn’t guarantee a 100 percent success rate; there are many issues that couples and individuals might face when trying out couples therapy.

When couples therapy is not effective

Numerous couples seek counseling every year to keep their marriages intact. Couples will often benefit immediately from counseling techniques like listening and communication, but there are times when they may not be sufficient. It’s also possible that a counselor is unprepared to deal with married couples experiencing serious issues. Counselors will be forced to either let the partners take turns talking week after week, with no end to the therapy, or to gradually push them toward divorce if they fail to understand the causes of conflict and the ensuing inability to move toward a resolution.

1. Misconceptions and unrealistic expectations

Many people believe that their marriage can be fixed by simply attending counseling. Sessions won’t automatically solve your issues or get rid of the past. You won’t suddenly become closer to your partner after receiving counseling. You can use marriage counseling to help you comprehend your and your partner’s roles in the relationship. Additionally, misunderstandings and errors in marriage counseling may endanger your relationship.

2. Issues with the therapist

It is not unusual for you and your partner to feel uncomfortable with the first counselor you see. The right marriage counselor will help you in the way that best suits your needs while also making you both feel at ease, seen, and heard. It’s okay to look for a new counselor if your current one isn’t fulfilling your needs. It would help if you experienced success with therapy.

3. Don’t try to change your partner

People frequently seek out marriage counseling because they believe their spouse will change as a result. You have only yourself to control in marriage counseling. You can’t make your partner change by yourself or hire a professional. Instead of spending money on therapy to try to change your partner, invest it in acknowledging your relationship behaviors and working toward the changes you want to make to strengthen your marriage.

4. Getting counseling with different agendas

Marriage counseling will not be effective when there are conflicting goals between the partners. Counseling won’t help, for instance, if one partner is more dedicated to carrying out the required work than the other is. It will not succeed if any of the partners is not entirely honest. It will inevitably fail if one partner commits to counseling with the intention of divorcing. To make things work, both partners must attend counseling with the understanding that the process requires an equal amount of commitment and work from both parties.

5. Losing your spark

Any professional will struggle to rekindle the passion when there are no feelings. Sometimes, when no love is left, partners must make the difficult choice to part ways. Healing is only possible after you make the right decision for your marriage.

Individual therapy for couples

Individual therapy is typically thought of as a way to address personal issues or problems. While this is undoubtedly true, individual therapy also has a lot of potentials to help you and your partner have a better relationship. Individual therapy is one of the best methods to resolve disputes and enhance communication.

Sometimes, people balk at attending couples counseling with someone they care about. There are numerous explanations for their refusal. Everything, from embarrassment to denial. A lack of confidence or trust in therapy may also cause their refusal. They might believe that it will accomplish nothing or that their issues are too significant to be resolved.

Individual therapy can improve the relationship even if both partners are unwilling to attend therapy together. Couples who are having trouble getting along may benefit from individual therapy.

One of the main advantages of individual therapy is that it can assist you in examining the dynamics and issues that may be affecting your relationship on a personal level.

An abusive and toxic relationship

To work, a marriage needs time and effort. Marriage counseling is not necessary if one of your partners is abusive. Don’t waste time; ask your loved ones for assistance to leave an abusive marriage.

Substance Abuse

A marriage may suffer greatly from addiction, which can have negative psychological and physical effects on the individual. The partner who has an addiction frequently contests that they are the cause of the issue in the relationship. The marriage is under a lot of stress from substance abuse, which frequently results in isolation and distance. A marriage will be further strained as a result of substance abuse because it frequently results in financial problems.

Lack of faith

All relationships, particularly marriage, depend on trust. In a marriage, the union will also disintegrate if trust is betrayed. Sometimes trust can be rebuilt, but it takes both parties’ beliefs and work. As an illustration, one party needs to be willing to accept responsibility, and the other party needs to be willing to pardon.

Conclusion

Couples therapy is the best way to salvage a troubled relationship. However, if it doesn’t work for you, you might consider individual therapy. Moreover, it is not the only option; if a marriage has turned toxic, it is probably best for the couple to separate. Contact us today to learn more!