About Marriage Counseling

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Do you need some help repairing your marriage? Having a great support network is of importance. It makes marriage counseling more essential. It also provides you and your partner an opportunity to discuss any issues that may lead to problems in your relationship.

What Is it?

Marriage counseling is a type of short-term psychotherapy that helps deal with relationship problems. People who are married or in long-term relationships can receive help from marriage therapy, but so too do those planning on getting married soon.

It can be a great way for you and your significant other to work through any problems in the relationship. Whether it’s because of an argument or just some time apart, marriage therapy sessions are designed with one goal: strengthening relationships by helping people cope when they’ve got issues that need addressing.

Couples Therapy vs. Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling and couples therapy are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. The former is a specific type of therapy that helps address relationship issues. Couples therapy can be used for any kind of relationship issue, not just marriages.

Who Goes to it?

When it comes to marriage counseling, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions. You might think that it’s only for couples who are on the brink of divorce or the last resort for couples who have already hit rock bottom.

The truth is, marriage counseling can be helpful for any married couple – regardless of their current state. It’s not meant for individuals but rather couples who want to work through issues together. 

Ideally, couples should attend marriage counseling together. However, there are cases where one partner may refuse to go or be unable to attend for some reason. In this case, it’s possible for the other partner to still attend and get help. But they’ll likely miss out on a lot of the benefits that come with attending counseling as a couple. Telehealth is also available in most cases, which can allow partners who can’t reasonably schedule at the same time in person to still attend therapy.

Who Provides it?

Most marriage counseling is provided by therapists who specialize in couple’s therapy. However, some religious institutions also offer marriage counseling services. There are a few different ways to find a therapist who provides marriage counseling:

• Ask friends or family for recommendations
• Look online for therapists in your area
• Check with your insurance provider to see if they have any recommended therapists
• Check our therapists directory

When to Seek Help?

Most people wait until there’s a big problem before seeking help from marriage counseling, but this isn’t always the best idea. It’s often better to catch smaller issues early on and deal with them head-on, rather than letting them fester and grow into bigger problems down the line.

That’s why it’s a good idea to think about searching things like “seeking marriage counseling near me” as soon as you start experiencing problems in your relationship – even if they seem small at first.

What Are the Benefits?

Marriage counseling has various benefits, and they include:

• Improved communication skills
• Understanding your partner better
• Creating more security in your  relationship
• Resolution of issues
• Better mental and emotional health

Couples who have previously attended marriage counseling have recorded feeling happy and more satisfied with their partners. Also, their probability of divorcing is significantly reduced.

What to Expect

If you and your partner decide to go to counseling, here’s what you can expect:

You’ll likely be asked to fill out some paperwork detailing your relationship history, family background, and current situation.

Your therapist will ask you a lot of questions about how you’re feeling and why you decided to seek counseling.

Some of the questions your therapist may ask to include:

• How long have you been experiencing these problems?
• What are the main issues causing tension in your relationship?
• Do you feel like you understand your partner’s point of view?
• Do you experience difficulty talking about certain issues?
• How do you solve your issues?
• Which topics are off-limits for discussion?

You and your partner will get time to talk and share what you’re thinking and how you feel. The therapist then will give you feedback and guidance to enable you to go through and solve your problems. Marriage counseling usually takes an average length of 50 minutes. However, the couples’ needs will determine its variation. If you and your partner have some problems in your relationship, you may choose marriage counseling to help solve your issues.

The Next Steps of Action

If you are considering counseling, there are a few things you can do to prepare:

• Talk to your insurance provider about whether they cover counseling.
• Ask friends or family for recommendations of therapists who specialize in couple’s therapy.
• Research online for therapists in your area.
• Check the BBB to determine if there are any complaints filed against the therapist you’re considering.
• Consult the therapist to see if they match your expectations.

If you need help finding a therapist or have any other questions about counseling, please don’t hesitate to contact Cherry Hill Counseling. We’re here to help!