When someone thinks about couples therapy, they often assume it is referring to married couples, but that’s not always the case. Therapy for married couples is generally called marriage counseling. For two individuals who are in an unmarried relationship that needs help, couples therapy might just do the trick. This could include a parent and child relationship, a brother and sister relationship, or even a dating relationship. The following are some key steps in how couples therapy works.
Identification
Even when a couple is not married, they cycle through some of the same patterns that married couples cycle through. Especially if the two individuals are living together, there could be some of the same issues that come up. Couples therapy can help those individuals identify the key issues that need to be dealt with. After they are clear about the issues, they can identify and understand how different negative patterns make a bigger conflict out of those key issues.
During this identification period, the couple’s therapist will help each individual realize there are some negative emotions in the relationship. Those negative emotions are often what fuel negative interactions. With this understanding, the therapist can then teach the couple how to deal with it in a healthy way.
Change
One of the biggest issues among couples is communication, and that’s what generally needs to change in order to make any headway with any issues. A couples counselor can help each partner feel safe in voicing deep concerns, as well as coach the other partner in how to accept those concerns. The couple can then change the way they approach deep emotions and serious concerns, which often helps them avoid more serious conflict.
Integration
After the couple has identified key issues and learned ways to make a change, they will both have skills and tools to use out in the real world when the therapist is not present. They will be encouraged to integrate those skills into their relationship at home, as well as into their everyday life. The skills learned shouldn’t just pertain to one specific problem the couple has faced, but rather they should encourage the couple to maintain a consistently healthy pattern for dealing with any issues that could arise.
Working on Your Relationship
Regardless of the type of relationship, you’re in, couples therapy, with a couples therapist in Palatine, IL, might be what you need to create a stronger relationship. Whether you’re dealing with a child, a spouse, a boyfriend or a sibling, contact a couple’s therapist today to start working on a healthier relationship.
Thank you to the experts at Lotus Wellness Center, for their contributions to counseling and therapy.