Marital Counseling
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Marital counseling is often mistaken to be a sign of a failing marriage. Everyone gets into marriage with expectations. A beautiful love story worthy of making an appearance in your favorite romance novel. In fact, after a courtship, we all hope for a fairytale. The happily ever after we dreamed of. And nobody ever thinks that they may need to undergo marital counseling.
What most people forget is that a marriage like any relationship takes some work to keep healthy. It’s a journey full of beautiful twists and turns, but often, people get into it without the tools to manage the challenges. This is where marital counseling comes into play. We help you learn novel ways to relate with your partner without losing yourself and heal your emotional wounds while at it.Â
What Is Marital Counseling?
Marital counseling is a type of counseling that primarily focuses on a marriage or relationship. You get to interact with our licensed marriage counselors, who are specifically trained to help you and your spouse diagnose your issues and look for solutions. Think of it as a safe space for you to iron things out with your partner and discuss what’s really on your mind.
The truth is that, as a married couple, you can only solve your relationship problems through communication and mutual understanding. So, throughout the counseling sessions, we’ll help figure out the root cause of your problems and how to move forward as a couple.
Who Is Marital Counseling For?
Society has attached some stigma to marital therapy—most people associate marriage counseling with divorce or separation. However, the truth is that every marriage has its challenges. And many couples can benefit immensely from marriage counseling when relationship struggles arise.
You don’t necessarily need to be married to consider therapy like marriage counseling. We welcome all couples to go for therapy regardless of their relationship status. For instance, some couples go for pre-marriage counseling before tying the knot to set realistic expectations. Even those in less traditional marriage setups, including long-distance and open marriages, can still do couple’s therapy. It doesn’t matter for how long you have been in a relationship; you can seek marriage counseling any time.
The best part is that there are no restrictions on why you should consider marriage counseling. If you feel that there is a struggle in your relationship that you can’t solve on your own, our trained and unbiased professionals are here for you.Â
There are, however, several instances that typically prompt couples to go for therapy. They include:
- Â Â Â Couples who disagree on most issues and seem to have the same argument repeatedly without coming up with a solution
- Â Â Â Couples that don’t agree on finances, how to parent, or lifestyle choices
- Â Â Â Couples that don’t agree with household responsibilities and one spouse feels that it’s unfair. A therapy session will help them communicate effectively and develop solutions.
- Â Â Â Couples that no longer feel attracted to each other
- Â Â Â Couples who feel like their marriage has come to a standstill
- Â Â Â Couples who think their spouses are neglecting them.
- Â Â Â Couples who have gone through a recent loss and have trouble processing the tragedy together
- Â Â Â Couples who have other problems, including mental health issues, drug abuse, health complications, etc.
What Can You Expect from Marital Counseling?
At Cherry Hill Counseling, we use different marriage counseling techniques. It’s okay that you’re wondering what to expect from the sessions. Here’s a quick rundown for you. First, you will meet one of our therapists as a couple. You may even have a few individual sessions along the way for them to get a background history on both of you individually.
Your therapist will then address the history of your relationship issues. They will want to know what is causing most of the stress in the relationship. Some of the topics you will discuss include;
- Parenting issues
- Communication challenges
- Childhood traumas
- Anxiety & depression
- Intimacy between you two.
Keep in mind that you should be open and honest throughout the sessions.
During the first sessions, you will likely set goals for your relationships. These goals will help both of you interact better and feel connected. If you have varying goals, your therapist will talk you through finding healing and improving the relationship.
It’s important that you feel understood throughout the sessions and that you let yourself be vulnerable.
Next Steps to Take Action
If you’re married, you have a lot to benefit from couples therapy. This is not an indication that your relationship is ending. It’s simply a show of strength and love, a sign that you’re willing to do what it takes to make your marriage work. You don’t have to go through this alone. Connect with us today if you are looking for the best marriage counseling services in Chicago, and let’s work through your marriage issues together!