The writer Thomas Merton once stated, “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” It is one of the great joys in life to fall in love with someone who accepts you just as you are. This doesn’t mean that they don’t call you on your unhealthy or harmful behaviors. It doesn’t mean that they don’t challenge you. It just means that their love doesn’t feel conditional. You can be your whole self in the relationship. You can experience emotional safety.
But it’s not easy to achieve this state of mutual acceptance with an intimate partner. In fact, it takes a lot of work. Most people don’t enter relationships fully formed. Humans are always evolving, learning about themselves and other people. It can sometimes be a painful process. But healthy relationships don’t hinder that freedom to grow.
Relationship counseling at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH can help couples whose bonds need a little extra support. The couples therapists at Thriveworks can facilitate open, nonjudgmental discussions about every personal and relationship topic under the sun. And then the marriage counselor can help partners find solutions to their issues. It’s a highly effective, successful way to explore and deepen personal relationships.
What Should I Expect from Marriage Counseling?
In marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH, couples are provided with a safe space in which to talk about sensitive topics like love, sex, and commitment. The licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) at Thriveworks are there to provide insights, to make sure everyone feels heard, and to look for workable solutions to problems. They can also foster better communication strategies and coping skills to improve relationships in the long-term, even if people aren’t actively experiencing problems. It all depends on the clients’ goals. People might enroll in couples counseling because they wish to accomplish any of the following objectives, and many more:
- To feel more loved and appreciated.
- To model a healthier relationship for children.
- To reconnect as friends and lovers.
- To reignite passion.
- To enhance physical intimacy.
- To reduce tension and conflict.
- To stop repeating the same argument.
- To create healthier boundaries.
- To express needs and desires in a safe space.
- To heal after an affair.
- To cope with empty nest syndrome.
- To get individual support for a partner’s mental health condition or behavioral issue like substance abuse, anxiety, or depression.
- To address issues or concerns before marriage (in the case of premarital counseling).
- To process trauma together.
- To work through bereavement.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Getting Pre-Marriage Counseling?
Premarital counseling can help couples clarify their values and expectations for a relationship. You can’t anticipate the future or neutralize all future surprises, but you can talk openly in couples therapy about your relationship goals. A marriage counselor at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH can work with engaged couples to reinforce their strengths. Through premarital counseling, couples can even get the effective communication tools they need to maintain their bond in the long-term.
Does Couples Counseling Really Work?
Couples counseling is one of the most effective forms of therapy because it’s goal-oriented, solution-oriented, and directly tackles a couple’s most pressing issues. Many enduring celebrity couples have spoken about the importance of marriage counseling in securing their attachment, for example:
- Kristen Bell and Dax Shephard
- John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
- Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade
- Pink and Carey Hart
- Barack and Michelle Obama
What Kinds of Approaches Are Used in Marriage Counseling?
The fully licensed, highly qualified couples therapists at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH use a variety of evidence-based approaches to help intimate partners achieve their relationship goals. These therapeutic methods include the following:
- Gottman method
- Narrative therapy
- Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)
- Imago relationship therapy
- Solution-focused therapy
Therapists can also employ a number of interesting games and exercises to help break the ice and promote honest, beneficial dialogue.
How Do I Find a Good Couples Therapist or Marriage Counselor?
To find a great couples therapists, you need to start with some basic criteria:
- The counselor should be fully licensed in New Hampshire. (All Thriveworks mental health providers are fully licensed in their state, nationwide).
- The therapist’s services should be affordable. (Thriveworks LMFTs in Nashua, NH accept most major health insurance plans and offer competitive self-pay rates.)
- The therapy sessions should be convenient and comfortable. (Thriveworks in Nashua, NH offers both online counseling sessions and in-person, traditional therapy sessions.)
Reconnect with Marriage Counseling at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH
With marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Nashua, NH, intimate partners can navigate difficult situations and strengthen their overall bonds. And they can do it quickly. Therapists working with couples can usually meet with new clients within 24-48 hours. And clients can access their provider by phone or email between sessions.
Get the compassionate support that you and your loved one need to thrive. Call Thriveworks today.
