Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling can serve as a useful tool to manage stress within a relationship, or other relationship problems. Marriage counseling is often an important step for resolving excessive fights in a marriage, communication problems, spousal abuse, sexual dysfunction, a disconnected relationship, and infidelity. Coming to terms with relationship issues is never easy, however identifying issues and taking steps to both resolve and prevent further stress on a relationship will make for a happier and healthier life for everyone involved.

Approaches to Marriage Counseling

At Cherry Hill Counseling, our therapists take multiple approaches to marriage counseling. While working with the unique relationship dynamic of each couple, we can identify areas that may need additional focus, as well as applying theoretical approaches to resolve conflict. Some theoretical approaches that we employ in counseling include:

• Emotion-Focused Therapy
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Family Systems Therapy
• Cognitive Therapy
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Hope Centered Marriage Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Behavior Therapy

Each of these approaches have their own benefits and effective situations. In many instances, marriage counseling is an option to reduce excessive fighting, and improve communication between each member of the relationship. Establishing “fair fighting rules”, and identifying negative interactional cycles is a way to facilitate a deeper understanding of each other, while allowing everyone to express emotions equally. Fighting can occur in even the best relationships, however not all fighting has to end in negative feelings for each other. By focusing on conflict resolution, our therapists can help strengthen communication and listening skills in order to facilitate a healthy discussion, not an angry shouting match.

Fighting, miscommunication, and anger towards a loved one doesn’t mean the end of a relationship. Marriage counseling offers the tools needed to repair and restore the love for each other. In some cases, however, separating from a relationship is the best solution for both involved. In these cases, marriage counseling serves to make a separation or divorce as healthy and easy as possible. It’s important to maintain open communication with each other, even after separation.