Introduction
Marriage counselling has a certain stigma attached to it. People think that counselling is for couples who have decided to move apart. However, this is far from the truth. Effective marriage counselling drastically reduces the chances of divorce. According to the American association of marriage and family therapists, the success rate of relationship counselling is around 98%.
We all have rough phases in relationships. More than often, we sort it out by discussing the issues. However, if we don’t deal with the differences, we might lose an excellent relationship. So don’t hesitate to search for “marriage counsellor near me” in your browser. Various online wellness platforms provide marriage counselling services.
What Is Marriage Counselling?
Marriage counselling is a therapy session involving a couple and a licensed relationship counsellor. Like other counselling sessions, marriage therapy also communicates the issues, challenges, and things that aren’t working. The counsellor provides a safe environment for the couple to express themsellves freely. In contrast, the counsellor identifies the real issues.
Marriage counselling is not limited to a married couple. It is couple’s therapy, and any couple going through challenges in their relationships should consider this therapy. The idea is to talk about issues and come to a mutual understanding by accepting mistakes and figuring out how to move on. Although, the result of the majority of marriage counselling sessions is returning to a happy relationship together. In a few cases, couples may find out that they should get divorced and lead their own lives.
Common Issues in Marriage Counselling
The most common issues addressed during marriage counselling are related to a communication gap. Often, couples start taking each other for granted, keeping secrets, not fulfilling their expected roles, or cheating on each other, resulting in trust issues.
The other issue could be finance-related; one partner can feel overwhelmed by owning the financial responsibilities and feeling the burden for too long. Relationships work on mutual understanding and caring for each other. When partners start ignoring each other and become selfish or have different life values or expectations, they drift away from each other.
Lack of emotional and physical intimacy is also among the common issues that lead up to marriage counselling. The couple must understand the relationship’s interdependence and determine where they stand.
The Benefits of Having a Marriage Counsellor or Therapist
- Expectation setting and guidance: It can be daunting for couples to identify the issues in their relationships. As humans, the most challenging thing is to accept our mistakes. Having a counsellor or therapist sit and discuss issues with you brings a balance and expertise in setting up the expectations and how to go about the marriage counselling sessions.
- Decide the best approach for therapy: Relationship counsellors are experts and are aware of the common underlying problems. They can decide to do a one-on-one session to understand each partner’s mindset and involve them in a group session where they talk about their issues. A good marriage counsellor knows how to start and when to stop the therapy; hence, they can set a timeline for you.
- Preventive Counselling: Marriage counsellors do not necessarily deal with issues; many healthy relationships go for therapy to improve their bond. In addition, therapists are incredibly beneficial for couples starting a new relationship as they can go for premarital counselling and strengthen their communication.
Tips for Preparing for Your First Meeting
Suppose you have decided to go for marriage counselling. Below are a few things to keep in mind:
- Your counsellor would like to know about you and your reasons for seeking therapy.
- You may need to sign some therapy-related documents to adhere to the legalities of the counsellor and patients; this ensures that you know that your details are safe with the counsellor.
- You may need to fill out a questionnaire or give an online relationship therapy test so the results can help your counsellor identify the severity of the issue.
- While this meeting is new for you, you must understand that your counsellor is an expert and will make every effort to make you and your partner comfortable.
- Your counsellor will set expectations around the timing of sessions.
- You must remain open to suggestions and techniques as the counsellor determines the best therapy methods for you.
How to Find a Good Marriage Counsellor Near You?
Finding a good marriage counsellor near you is super easy. You can take online UWC relationship tests and talk to a marriage counsellor by visiting United We Care’s website or mobile app.
- The online assessment scale (also known as the relationship assessment scale) asks both partners to rate each other on a five-point scale. Marriage counsellors use the online assessment scores to identify the underlying issues.
- Marriage counsellors use the latest counselling approach. Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is exceptionally effective, with success rates above 75% compared to 50% of traditional treatments.
- Marriage problems may relate to other issues in your life like finance, sex life, children, job, or anxiety. Depending on the problems, you may get online counselling sessions for parenting, relationship, and sex therapy.
- The best way to find a good marriage counsellor is to try online sessions. You don’t have to worry about meeting the therapist in person, and no one knows about your sessions until you want them to.
- Online sessions are pretty helpful, keeping in mind the stigma attached to marriage counselling. Online marriage therapy is excellent for premarital sessions. You can have a quick session to improve your communication skills and set the right expectations for each other.
Relationship Assessment Scale for Marriage Counselling
Studies show that our relationship quality is dependent on many factors, such as emotional intelligence, support, communication level, self-enhancement, and economic wellness. The relationship assessment scale is the most widely used tool to evaluate close relationships. The use of R.A.S. is assessment applicable for both married and dating couples. The evaluation has questions like:
- How many problems are there in your relationship?
- How well does your partner meet your needs?
- How good is your relationship compared to most?
And more.
The couple needs to rate seven questions on a five-point scale.
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Not Sure
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree
Most marriage therapists use R.A.S. scores to measure relationship satisfaction.
Conclusion
Relationships like marriages demand a lot of effort and understanding from both partners. Problems are bound to happen in relationships; however, the sooner we fix the differences, the better. Relationship therapists or marriage counsellors can help you diagnose the issues and discuss methods to fix them, improving the relationship.
Book your online marriage counselling session now.
