Couples counselling is a great way to make sure your relationship will last the test of time. Every relationship faces challenges at some point, and sometimes you need outside help to get you through them and come out the other side stronger as a couple. The course of a couple’s treatment may vary depending on your specific circumstances. Couples therapy can make use of each of the four main counselling ideologies in a different way. It might help you better understand the many pair therapy or counselling techniques your therapist may employ to help you resolve your issues, including several forms of couple counselling.
What is couple therapy?
One form of psychotherapy that can improve your relationship with your partner is couples therapy. If you and your partner are having relationship problems, couples counseling can help. Couples counselling may help you at every stage of your relationship, no matter your marital status, age, race, religion, or sexual orientation. This therapy includes, but is not limited to, family therapy, marriage counselling, and prenuptial counselling. Often, the therapy is only temporary.
Types of couple therapy
- Emotionally focused therapy (EFT): EFT tries to improve your connection and bond with your partner in order to strengthen your marriage. Your therapist helps you identify and change the behaviours that make you feel isolated.
- The Gottman method comprises settling disagreements and instructing you and your partner in problem-solving techniques. It aims to improve the calibre of your friendship as well as your level of intimacy with your spouse.
- Applying Ellen Wachtel’s approach: This treatment approach basically emphasises on the positive aspect of the relationships’. It also concentrates on the strength of the relationship. It places more focus on reflection than it does blaming.
- Psychodynamic therapy for couples focuses on the fundamental motivations that drive you and your partner in order to help you understand one another better.
- Behavioural therapy, also known as behavioural couple’s therapy (BCT), aims to alter behaviour by enforcing constructive behaviours that promote stability and fulfilment and discouraging unfavourable behaviours.
- Recognizing and changing thought patterns that negatively affect behaviour is the aim of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), also referred to as cognitive behavioural couple’s therapy (CBCT).
Techniques of couple therapy
Depending on your needs, couples therapists frequently use an integrated approach to treatment, incorporating techniques from several forms of therapy. Some of the techniques couples therapists can use are:
- Getting to know you: By getting to know you and your spouse, the therapist creates a sense of security. They carefully and actively engage with you to further your understanding of you as well as your spouse, according to Mueller.
- Identifying your feelings: According to Mueller, the therapist can help you or guide you and your spouse find your feelings and emotions and express them to each other.
- Considering that doing so might help you better understand your anxieties, motives, and behaviours in a relationship, couples therapy may involve doing some past-focused exploration. It also helps resolve past issues that are affecting you now.
- Putting the focus on solutions: Your therapist will collaborate with you and your spouse to find solutions, change problematic behaviour patterns, and highlight the good parts of your relationship.
- Teaching skills: Couples counselling can assist you and your partner in learning techniques for controlling your anger, managing problems, and resolving disputes. The goal is to provide you and your spouse the tools you need to handle problems as they arise.
Benefits of couple counselling
The advantages of couples counselling include the following:
- Counselling for couples can help you and your partner better understand one another. It can aid in the expression of your shared emotions, concerns, priorities, values, and beliefs.
- Identify marital problems: According to Mueller, your therapist may assist you and your partner in figuring out the problems that are causing recurrent arguments, a lack of trust, and a sense of disconnection.
- Enhanced communication abilities: Therapy can improve communication between you and your partner. It might assist you in communicating your needs and wants without criticising or verbally abusing your partner.
- Conflict resolution: Your therapist can assist you and your partner in sorting through your problems and finding solutions.
- Enhance friendship and attachment: Couples counselling can help you and your partner’s friendship, attachment, connection, and intimacy.
- Put an end to dysfunctional behaviour: Your therapist can help you recognise and get rid of dysfunctional behaviours.
- Develop your skills: Couples counselling is not a long-term therapeutic option. Instead, it is a brief form of therapy that seeks to give you and your partner the tools you need to avoid and handle future arguments.
- Enhance relationship satisfaction: By improving the overall quality of your connection, couples therapy can make you and your spouse’s relationship happier overall.
Visit TalktoAngel to speak with some of the best online mental health professionals. You can find the greatest “Best psychologist in India” or “Online counselling” regardless of your search criteria.