Couples counseling is often wrongfully stigmatized by society and popular culture. Truthfully, attending couples therapy is not a sign of weakness in a relationship, but rather shows maturity and strength. Seeking out professional guidance signifies that you and your partner truly care about each other and want to develop a healthy, loving relationship based on trust and open communication.
All relationships require effort, and no matter how strong the relationship is, all couples will come across challenges at some point that may be too difficult to face alone. Luckily, the licensed couples counselors and therapists at Thriveworks Columbus, OH have the experience, tools, and compassion necessary to help your relationship grow.
What Is Couples Counseling?
Couples counseling is designed to help couples overcome challenges in their relationship, address specific problems, or simply improve the relationship overall. Married, engaged, or dating couples of all ages, backgrounds, and orientations can benefit from couples counseling.
A therapist trained to work with couples, such as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), will meet with you and your partner on a regular basis to address the issues you wish to work on. While each therapist’s approach may vary, here’s what you can generally expect from your couples counseling session:
- Your therapist will help you identify and address specific issues in the relationship, such as jealousy, codependency, or lack of intimacy.
- You and your partner will have a safe space to express your wants, needs, and feelings to each other with the presence of a mediator. Discussions may be guided in a way that encourages openness and leads to better understanding between the two of you.
- Your therapist will help you and your partner make decisions about what needs to change in the relationship and come up with a clear image of how you want the relationship to look in the future.
Signs You May Need Couples Counseling
The best way to know when you and your partner may need couples counseling is when you intuitively feel that something’s off in your relationship. However, it can be hard to admit to ourselves that things are less than perfect in a partnership, and this can allow problems to persist for much longer than they need to.
Relationship issues are much easier to resolve when they’re caught sooner rather than later. Looking out for these signs can help you figure out whether it’s time to seek out couples counseling:
- You and your partner become easily frustrated with each other, and frequently argue over trivial things. Daily interactions with your partner may seem more conflict-oriented than loving.
- You find it difficult to express your feelings to your partner, and experience a lack of openness, vulnerability, and emotional intimacy in the relationship.
- You lack healthy communication and the ability to resolve conflicts without inflicting emotional pain on one another.
- Trust has been broken in the relationship, and you’re struggling to rebuild a foundation based on honesty.
- You frequently disagree on big issues such as parenting methods or visions for the future.
- External factors are straining your relationship, including the loss of a loved one, financial distress, or trouble with one of your families of origin.
- Physical intimacy is beginning to decline, or your sexual relationship is otherwise unhealthy or dissatisfying.
- You don’t feel connected to your partner like you once did, and the “spark” between you seems to be missing.
- You feel like something’s not right in the relationship, but you’re having trouble identifying the problem.
Even if nothing necessarily seems wrong, you and your partner can still benefit greatly from couples counseling. Every relationship has room to grow, and couples counseling could provide you with additional tools to grow your love and deepen your understanding for each other.
How Can Couples Counseling Enhance Your Relationship?
Research indicates that couples counseling is incredibly successful for couples who are motivated to improve their relationships. Over 90% of couples who attend express satisfaction with the service and report improvements in the areas that were addressed. Couples counseling can help improve your relationship and your lives by:
- Helping you and your partner connect and be vulnerable with each other
- Restoring physical and emotional intimacy between you
- Restoring trust and honest communication
- Giving you tools to resolve disagreements without conflict
- Improving your overall sense of security in the relationship
- Reducing your stress levels
- Helping your physical health and work performance improve
- Helping your children behave better at home and in school
Thriveworks Couples Counseling at Columbus, Ohio
Working on your relationship is no easy task, but thankfully you don’t have to do it alone. The expert counselors and therapists at Thriveworks Columbus, OH are trained to identify the root causes of relationship issues and give couples the tools they need to build a strong and fulfilling partnership. With tailored guidance from one of our counselors, your relationship can reach new levels of intimacy, connection, and trust.
Thriveworks Columbus, OH makes it easy to fit couples counseling into you and your partner’s busy lives, so you never have to choose between the health of your relationship and the rest of your commitments. We offer weekend and evening hours and can typically schedule an appointment for you within 24 hours. We accept most major insurances and offer affordable rates. To book your first session, call our Columbus office at (614) 515-6291 or contact us online.
Anger, Coping Skills, Stress, Addiction, Life Transition, +5 more 
