Numerous situations can benefit from couples counseling. It can help you improve communication, reduce conflict, and address issues of finances, beliefs, and values. The best treatment outcomes, however, depend on your willingness to work on your relationship.

How Does It Work?

Couples therapy can help you resolve conflict, improve your communication skills, learn new strategies for handling issues, and strengthen your bond and connection. About 90% of couples who attend couples therapy report improving their relationships after treatment. During therapy, you’ll meet with your therapist individually to discuss your issues and learn new tools to help you deal with conflict. The therapist will intervene when the discussion becomes disrespectful, and they’ll try to guide you in addressing issues without hurting your partner. The therapist may also ask you to complete homework between sessions to practice what you learned. These tasks can be simple, like writing down how you respond to your partner’s actions, or complex, like discussing complicated topics like infidelity.

What Are the Common Issues?

There are several common issues that couples therapy Lafayette LA addresses. These include communication problems, overcoming infidelity, intimacy issues, and more. Relationship counselors also help couples overcome health problems that affect their relationships. These can range from physical illnesses to emotional and mental health issues. Another common issue is the division of responsibilities within a marriage or relationship. If communication and agreement about how responsibilities will be divided have not been established, this can lead to arguments, disagreements, and resentment. Finally, many couples need help with differences in life goals. It can include whether they want children, how many kids to have, and how to balance work and family. Couples can also build a vision board that focuses on their goals and desires for their relationship. It is a way to keep your partner motivated to work on the relationship and remind them of your shared values and goals.

What’s the Difference Between Therapy and Counseling?

Even though “counseling” and “therapy” are sometimes used interchangeably, they have different meanings. The main difference between these two mental health treatments is their purpose and goals. Counseling is short-term and typically focused on a specific issue or problem, while therapy can be longer-term and more involved. It may also explore more of the past to adjust for the present and future. Couples work with a counselor or therapist to address relationship issues in marriage counseling. It can help them rebuild trust, improve communication, strengthen emotional closeness, and build coping skills for future challenges. Couples therapy is more intensive than counseling and often requires more of a commitment on the part of the couple. It can also be more expensive.

How Can I Find a Therapist?

You can find a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or other psychologists or psychiatrists specializing in couples therapy. When searching online, look for therapists with expertise in your issues and who use a clinical approach that aligns with how relationships work for you. Before committing to therapy, ensure your therapist is licensed and takes your insurance plan. You can also ask friends or other trusted people to recommend a therapist.