Renee has always wanted to be a world traveler. When she was younger, she would cut out photos of places from her National Geographic magazines and tape them to her bedroom walls.
But now in her early thirties, Renee hasn’t traveled in years. She’s a stay-at-home mother to an energetic young daughter, and her days are filled with activities that center around the wellbeing of her child. Her husband, Brandon, is still in school. When he’s not attending classes, he’s working his delivery job to pay the family’s bills.
Renee and Brandon haven’t been getting along since the birth of their daughter. Renee feels like she doesn’t have the social outlets she craves and isn’t appreciated for her role at home while Brandon feels overworked and misunderstood. They slam doors, scream, and disturb their neighbors at least once a week.
After months of constant bickering, they decide it’s time to speak to someone. They want to make their marriage work, so they sign up for relationship counseling with a Thriveworks provider. Their counselor is considerate, addressing both of their needs with equal contemplation. For the first time in more than a year, Renee and Brandon express themselves without raising their voices. They feel hopeful that they can build a brighter future together.
Few things in life take more time, energy, and care than maintaining healthy relationships. Because relationships are partnerships, it can feel difficult to adequately address your concerns when you and your partner aren’t on the same page. A marriage therapist or relationship counselor can serve as a mediator, opening the door to a thoughtful and productive discussion.
Relationships take time. You can make sure your relationship has what it needs to develop by meeting with a professional at Thriveworks in West Des Moines, IA. Reach out to us today to get started.
Why Do Couples Seek Relationship Counseling?
If you asked different people why they fell in love, you’d likely get a multitude of different reasons: his personality, her jokes, our shared hobbies, their intelligence. The same is true of conflict; the complications that arise in relationships are just as varied and nuanced as the reasons we fall in love.
Our clients arrive at therapy seeking a variety of growth opportunities to improve their relationships. Some of their reasons for seeking our help include:
- Financial disagreements
- Child-rearing issues
- Marriage planning
- Divorce or separation
- Parenting differences
- Religious differences
- Jealousy
- Infidelity
- Addiction and substance abuse
- Intimacy and sex complications
- Communication issues
What Can a Therapist or Counselor Do for My Marriage or Relationship?
There’s an incorrect assumption that couples therapy is only for couples who are having significant problems in their relationships. But couples counseling can help couples at all stages of their relationships. In fact, many couples choose to see a provider before their wedding to strengthen their communication and plan for their future.
Whatever your goals may be, a licensed marriage and family therapist can help you address your concerns in an open, productive manner. They may implement one of the following types of therapy:
- Imago Relationship Therapy explores how your childhood experiences shape your expectations in your adult romantic relationships. The ultimate goal is to promote growth and healing by recognizing and addressing unhealthy behaviors established in childhood.
- The Gottman Method focuses on improving your affection, intimacy, and respect. It helps defend against defensiveness, criticism, contempt, and stonewalling.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) examines the role your emotions play in your relationships. It seeks to repair your attachment to one another by addressing hurtful patterns within your relationship.
Therapy sessions may be extended or short-term. They may involve one or more of the above-listed forms of therapy and may also incorporate out-of-office activities and self-care practices.
Are you ready to begin your own customized journey with a licensed couples counselor? Set up an appointment with us at Thriveworks in West Des Moines, IA.
Speak With a Marriage or Couples Counselor in West Des Moines, IA
At Thriveworks, our providers are available to speak with you either in person or remotely. If you choose remote appointments, you can pick between video or phone call appointments and get the benefits of therapy without even visiting our office.
Whichever type of appointment you choose, we offer evening and weekend availability as well as a flexible cancellation policy. Your provider can even be reached by email or phone between sessions, as needed. We accept different insurance providers and can often make ourselves available for same-day or next-day appointments.
When you’re ready to take the first step, we’re here to help. We’ve helped countless others improve their relationships, and we would love to help you improve yours, too. Give us a call today at Thriveworks in West Des Moines, IA to get started.