Common Obstacles in Couples Therapy
Posted: December 20, 2016
Are you and your partner constantly fighting? Do you feel like you’re on the brink of breaking up? Is the sizzle gone from your relationship? If so, you might want to consider couples therapy.
Couples therapy can go a long way towards resolving conflicts, repairing or even salvaging your union. But during the course of the therapy, there are certain issues that may arise.
Here are 3 common obstacles in couples therapy.
Social stigma
Just because you seek out the guidance of a couples counselor, doesn’t mean that something is wrong with your relationship. That’s not necessarily true. In fact, engaging in couples therapy means you’re taking the first step to restoring your relationship.
If you and your partner are having problems and it is affecting your relationship, seek help. Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long and hoping that it’ll pass. Your relationship is less likely to improve if you use couples therapy as a last resort. Don’t let a perceived stigma stop you from getting the beneficial therapy that you need.
Not following through
According to the American Psychological Association, about 40 to 50% of married couples in the United States divorce. Among those couples who have filed for divorce, only a fraction of them have ever seen a counselor. Those who do only attended 4 sessions.
In today’s modern world, people have become more and more impatient. They want to get the result they want fast. This becomes a problem with couples who are undergoing therapy. More often than not, clients leave before their issues are resolved. Keep in mind, though, that couples therapy is not a quick fix. Working out issues between two people usually takes time.
Keeping secrets
Therapy requires that clients trust their therapists. They need to reveal their innermost thoughts and feelings to a complete stranger in order for therapy to be successful. While you don’t have to share everything to your therapist, it is best to clue him/her in about the issues that you are currently facing as a couple.
Some couples start therapy with secrets like an addiction or an affair and have no intention of telling it to their partners. Keeping secrets not only hinder you from resolving conflict, it also zaps the trust and life out of your relationship.