Marriage and Couples Counselling
Most couples struggle with relationship problems without knowing there is a way out.
The average couple waits around six years before seeking professional help.
Why Couples Seek Therapy:
- They argue about the same two or three topics over and over without ever solving anything.
- They can’t have a conversation without getting defensive or critical toward each other.
- One of the partners feel uncomfortable with conflict and doesn’t feel like they can’t talk about their feeling without being misunderstood by their partner.
- They behave like roommates or even business partners without expressing romance or being intimate.
- One of the partners is so emotional that when they bring something up, the other partner avoids the situation or closes off.
- They have sexual issues in their relationship and would like guidance on how to overcome them.
- Some of the partners have been unfaithful and don’t know what to do next.
All couples have a unique dynamic, but most clients come to First Talk to seek advice for these common concerns. Fortunately, our counselors are experts in marriage therapy and can help you navigate these challenges.
Communication in Relationships
Most relationship problems come from poor communication. Some couples get used to fighting and become overwhelmed by the constant stress, making conversations impossible to sustain.
Not being heard or understood is a draining experience that leaves both partners feeling frustrated. Some couples don’t realize they need to communicate better, while others sense it but are clueless on how to proceed.
If this sound familiar, therapy could be your safe place where you can learn, use, and practice these communication techniques.
Your therapist will help you understand what you and your partner need to feel understood and accepted for having your own perspective.
Our counsellors teach practical ways to improve your communication skills and help you understand conflicts as opportunities. If you handle your disagreements correctly, they can turn into something positive.
Through the therapy process, you and your partner will learn to avoid dialogue styles that lead to anger, defensiveness, stonewalling, and criticism.
Your Relationship Can Improve Through Counselling
All relationships are unique, so we do not have a standard treatment for each couple. However, some of the things everyone ends up learning are:
- How to successfully discuss sensitive topics that cause emotional detachment.
- Helpful problem-solving strategies to find ways to compromise and understand each other better.
- Practical tools to rebuild trust and restore your friendship.
- Learn more about each other’s value systems in stimulating and welcoming ways rather than intimidating and disapproving ones.
How to Benefit From Couples Counselling
- Couples dynamics are complex and require a highly skilled therapist to navigate them properly. This therapist should have several years of experience and a specialization certificate in this area.
- Before diving into therapy, make sure you and your partner are on the same page about your goals. You both need to feel equally committed to making your relationship work.
- Make sure that neither of you has to do anything important before or after each session to avoid being rushed. It is essential to feel relaxed and calm to get the most out of it.
- If you are committing to therapy, stop trying to be right all the time. It will make the process much more cumbersome.
- Commit yourself to performing the homework assignments and exercises given by the therapist. These make all the difference.
- Remember that the ultimate goal of your couples therapy is to get back to feeling united as a team. That way, who is at fault ceases to be relevant.
- Sometimes one of the partners is not fully invested in the therapy, which can show. In these cases, we recommend individual treatment to help you approach your partner and receive guidance on the role you are taking in your relationship.
Couples Counselling Helps With
- Letting go of the resentment and sadness of feeling misconstrued and unappreciated.
- Addressing the root cause of recurring problems to remove them from your couple dynamics once and for all.
- Reconnecting emotionally and intimately with your partner after a long time of estrangement or emotional distance.
- Rebuilding confidence and hope in the relationship.
- Building a solid and lasting bond of renewed admiration and complicity with your partner.
Preserving your relationship means truly attending to your partner’s unique perspective, being vulnerable at times, and putting into practice the communications skills you learn through therapy.
Start Couples & Marriage Counselling With First Talk
If you spend most days of your couple’s life unhappy, this is not normal. The good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Get back to feeling emotionally connected with your partner with the help of one of our couples and marriage counsellors located in Saskatoon counselling office.
Let’s Have The First Talk