3 Benefits of Couples Counseling
Written By Jessica Attas, LICSW, LCSW
Have you found yourself wondering if couples counseling is for you? One of the biggest misconceptions about couples therapy is that it is only for relationships in distress. More and more 20 and 30 somethings are going to couples counseling to gain the tools they need to sustain a meaningful and long lasting partnership. It has been proven that couples counseling can be effective for those at any stage in their relationship. Every couple experiences inevitable highs and lows, and at times you may feel like yours needs a little bit of added support. If you are curious about a few of the benefits of couples counseling, continue reading!
1) Couples Counseling Can Improve Upon Communication
You may feel like you and your partner are speaking two different languages at times, and need support to get on the same page. Through couples counseling you can develop the tools to share about your emotions, and needs, while also learning how to listen to your partner, and validate their needs as well.
Building new and effective communication skills can help you understand your partner’s perspective, allowing the capacity to carve a path forward through disagreements and confrontation.In couples counseling, the therapist serves to help shed light on current communication patterns, and get to the root of underlying problems that leave you feeling stuck or at a standstill.
Having conversations in therapy with the support of a counselor can set you up for more direct and honest dialogue in the future. Gaining these communication skills will help you resolve problems,and maintain a healthy relationship even during arduous or difficult times.
2) Couples Counseling Can Deepen Your Connection With Your Partner
During the early stages of your relationship, you may have spent a lot of time getting to know your partner, which can lead to strong emotional connection. With all the responsibilities you take on in your 20s and 30s such as work, spending time with friends, and maintaining a household, you may find less and less time to connect with one another. When this happens you may find yourself feeling lonely and detached.
Couples counseling can provide a space for you and your partner to have conversations that build trust, and vulnerability, which lead to increased feelings of emotional connection and secure attachment. Many times when people feel emotionally disconnected, they also experience challenges with physical intimacy.
Sharing concerns about physical intimacy with your partner can be daunting, and this lack of communication can leave you feeling like you are in a rut. A couples therapist can help you and your partner discuss your sexual preferences, desires, needs, and expectations in a supportive way that can help you get the sex life you have always hoped for!
3) Counseling Can Help With Developing Mutual Expectations in Your Relationship
As 20 and 30-somethings, we encounter many transitions in life and we may not know what to expect in the future. As relationships progress over time, the individual begins to shift their thinking from “me” to “we”. These decisions can range from deciding who you spend your time with, how to manage joint finances, what boundaries you need to hold with people outside of your relationship, one partner relocating for a job, moving in together, getting engaged or married, and beginning the process of family planning. These decisions can be daunting and bring up a lot of emotions which can be challenging to talk about on your own!
Couples counseling can give you a space to explore your feelings about these transitions, and clarify your expectations around these decisions. After determining how you and your partner want to move forward, your therapist can provide you with the skills you need to reach your relationship goals. These are only several of the many ways that couples counseling can be beneficial! Every relationship is unique, and comes with its own set of challenges. If you find yourself curious about how couples therapy could be helpful for you or are ready to take the leap with your partner and pursue couples counseling, please reach out to The Sterling Group for a consultation today!
Want more support? Therapists in DC can help.
The couples therapists at our therapy practice in Washington, DC can help you reconnect with your partner on a personal and intimate level. We realize that no two relationships are the same and are equipped to meet unique individual needs in order to help you grow and strengthen your relationship. Let’s get started with these steps.
Schedule a consultation with us using our therapy appointment form.
Meet with one of our skilled therapists.
Handle transitions in your life with more ease!
Other Therapy Services in DC
Difficulties with your relationship can cause stress and anxiety, and our therapists get that. So, we offer a multitude of services to support you. Our individual services include therapy for self-esteem, support for relationship challenges, and exploring identities as well as executive function support. . We would love to chat with you today about the ways we can support your growth at our counseling practice serving the Washington, DC area!
