Steven and Sam started their relationship off on the wrong foot. They met through mutual friends and liked each other before some problems started surfacing around them. When they met again just a few months later, they realized how much they cared for each other and quickly started dating. After several years, they moved in together, got engaged, and had a beautiful wedding. Unfortunately, now that they’ve settled down, the problems they once faced before they started dating are coming back up again and they weren’t prepared to deal with them together. Now their relationship is suffering, and they struggle to see eye to eye.
A strong relationship requires choosing to love each other, even in those moments when you struggle to like each other.” – Unknown
Relationships take a lot of work. It doesn’t matter if you and your partner have only been together a year or married for 10, the ups and downs are inevitable. The feelings you had for each other during the “honeymoon phase” may have slipped away without you even realizing it. Additionally, getting more comfortable around your partner allows for different issues to come to light.
Whether you’re like Sam and Steven and need help working through past issues or you just need help communicating better, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) can help. At Thriveworks Counseling in Annapolis, our marriage and couples counselors have helped many couples through their obstacles and are ready to help you, too. When you’re ready to start making meaningful changes, give us a call at (410) 709-3342.
What Is Marriage and Couples Counseling?
Every couple and their needs are unique. Because of this, we understand the importance of creating individualized treatment plans for each and every one of our clients. The counselors and therapists at Thriveworks in Annapolis have the education, training, and skills to help you tackle your issues. During your first sessions, your counselor will assess you and your partner as individuals in order to better understand how to fix the problems you are facing. After understanding you both as individuals, your therapist will come up with a special plan of action based on your needs. This will allow you both to appreciate each other on a different level and understand what you need to do as a whole to get better.
Why Should My Partner and I Decide to Go to Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling?
You may be wondering when the right time is to finally ask for help. Consider these questions:
- Have my partner and I done everything we can to see eye to eye on certain issues that won’t go away?
- Are we struggling to connect on a more intimate level and don’t understand why?
- Is there something from our past that we can’t get over and it’s damaging our current relationship?
These are just a few ways to start thinking about why you should start seeing a counselor. There are many reasons why couples seek out the help of one of our mental health professionals. Some of the more common ones are:
Infidelity, lack of intimacy, parenting disagreements, misaligned values, financial strain, low self-esteem, lack of trust, poor communication, negative work/life balance, major life changes, grief, mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, and addiction or substance abuse.
Sometimes there is no clear reason why you and your loved one are having issues. Maybe it’s as simple as you no longer feel joy when around each other. Or maybe you don’t connect on a level like you used to. Whatever the reason, our counselors will work with you to identify where your problems lie and help you start making meaningful progress in your relationship.
How Can a Counselor Help Me and My Partner?
As we have touched on briefly, the leaps and bounds our marriage and couples counselors will go to for their clients are great. They are dedicated to helping you and your loved one fix the issues holding you back so you can start living happier, more loving lives together. Some of the tools in which our therapists can equip you with include:
- Communication techniques
- Increased respect for each other
- Identify the root problems of your relationship
- How to listen to your partner, and not just “hear” them
- Building up more trust
- And more!
These are just a few of the things you can learn during your time working with one of our licensed marriage and family therapists. They’ll help you resolve problems, work together, and even help you make tough decisions about breaking up or not. Sometimes, it’s healthier for couples to split up and that is okay! At the end of the day, we will help you do whatever makes the most sense in not only repairing your relationship but preserving your individual mental health as well.
Work with a Marriage and Couples Counselor at Thriveworks in Annapolis, MD
Here at Thriveworks Counseling in Annapolis, we are dedicated and client-focused, meaning that we will always put you and your needs first. If you are ready to explore the many benefits of working with a couples counselor, give us a call or visit our online booking portal. We offer many other added benefits to our clients and we can’t wait for you to see them all. We look forward to hearing from you and starting this journey together.
