What is couple therapy?

 

Couple therapy provides an opportunity for you to explore what is happening in your relationship with your partner. It is helpful for couples of all ages whether you have been together for a brief or longer time. Many couples come to therapy because they are keen to improve their relationship or need some help to navigate life changes. Therapy can help you to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening between you. It can help each of you to each understand your own way of relating and how this combines in your couple relationship. Overtime it is possible to identify changes you may want to make so that you feel less stuck. You can then use the therapy space to work through these changes. 

 

Some couples come to therapy because they are thinking of separating. Therapy can help you to explore this. If you do decide to separate, couple therapy can help you do this in ways which are thoughtful and less painful. It can also help each of you to move forward as individuals. 

 

How can it help?

 

People come to couple therapy to:

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• Find ways to connect and talk to each other, perhaps about difficult emotions, or their own relationship wishes and needs, and to share more of their experiences;

• Work out how best to manage experiences of anxiety, stress, guilt, shame, trauma or difficult circumstances;

• Find ways to reduce the frequency of and hurt caused by mis-understandings or arguments;

• Help navigate life events such as becoming parents, difficulties conceiving, work or lifestyle changes, retirement, illness, loss and grief;

• Find ways to talk about sex and issues that may be affecting their enjoyment of sex;

• Discuss issues of trust, perhaps following the discovery of an affair, infidelity or deceit;

• Work out whether they want to stay together

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What might be the outcomes from couple therapy?

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• Communication between you may be improved so that there are fewer arguments and mis-understandings;

• You may both feel that you are better supported and cared for in your relationship

• Over-time you and your partner may see issues from a different perspective.  This can help you both to feel less stuck;

• Over time a richer understanding of your relationship may develop enabling a way forward to be agreed which will help you both

• Some couples stay together, having achieved a deeper understanding of what they each need in their relationship;  

• Some couples chose to separate but with a better understanding of what has happened between them and how best to move forward as individuals. 

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Interested in discussing more?

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• Please get in touch to start an initial consultation process. 

• You can talk about the concerns or problems that have led you to consider therapy in a safe, confidential setting;

• I will ask questions about your history and current situation;

• You can ask questions about the counselling process;

• Then we can think about how best to proceed. If we agree that working together is a good next step, we will arrange a regular time to meet and discuss whether our work will be brief, and focused on specific issues or a longer term therapy;