There are times during marriage when life gets in the way of couple time. Between work stress, children, social engagements and other family issues, it may start to seem like the two of you barely see each other. When a couple stops talking, tensions can start to run high and the marriage can begin to fail. It may be beneficial to consider marriage counseling. Speaking with a trained therapist can help give you strategies to get your marriage back on track. Consider some of the benefits of therapy and how long you can expect it to take.
Learn How To Communicate
If you and your spouse don’t talk, how can you possibly make things better? Not talking may lead to the decline of your marriage. Perhaps you feel like your partner doesn’t want to hear what you have to say. A therapist can help you sort out what is going in your heads and formulate it into thoughts to share. If your primary problem is a lack of communication, the length of time the therapy takes depends on how fully you throw yourself into the process.
Learn How To Disagree
Fighting is not something people usually like to do, and as such, some avoid conflict at all costs. Others, however, may want to fight over every little thing. If this sounds like you and your spouse, your arguments may wind up leading to total blowouts, or one of you may avoid the other until things blow over. Neither way is an effective way to air what is bothering you. A therapist can provide you strategies to help deal with anger towards each other. You should learn how to fight fairly, and time in therapy may help.
Reconnect With Each Other
Being an adult can be hard, especially when you have children. Raising a family, working and struggling to pay bills may all take a toll and lead to a disconnect. While one of the signs of this disconnect is the lack of communication, others may include:
- Staying at work later to avoid going home
- Making plans on the weekends that don’t include your spouse
- Spending time with friends or at the gym instead of at home
If you want to avoid going home at all costs, you may benefit from a trial of counseling. Keep an open mind and try the suggestions the therapist makes to reconnect and find that spark within each other.
Going to therapy to help improve your marriage is nothing to be ashamed of. Remember that every couple is different, and the length of time you go will vary. If you decide to go, put your all into it to get the best results for a long-lasting life together.
Source: Marriage Counseling Tysons Corner, VA, Lindsay Hoskins & Associates