How to Maximize Marriage Therapy
Are you currently thinking of marriage therapy, or have you and your partner decided couples counselling is a good idea for you? In this blog post, we’ll discuss 5 different ways you and your spouse can get the most out of marriage counselling. Following these 5 tips won’t automatically ensure your marriage therapy sessions are successful, however, they will definitely point you and your spouse in the right direction on how to approach your sessions.
Be Honest
Being transparent during your marriage counselling sessions is extremely important in order for them to be effective. Being honest with yourself, with your partner, and with your therapist will ensure you’re getting the most out of your sessions. Discussing certain sensitive topics can be difficult but in order for your sessions to be productive, sometimes it has to be done. Ask tough questions and answer your partners honestly. When you withhold the truth during your therapy sessions, you’re only holding yourself back and you might miss out on addressing extremely important issues.
Establish Goals Early On
It’s easy to show up to your first marriage therapy session knowing you want to improve the relationship between you and your partner. But having a few goals established can help give you both something more solid to work towards. Whether it’s a goal for a future timeline or a goal for how you communicate on a day-to-day basis, it’s a great place to start that will allow you to get more out of your sessions. These goals should absolutely be tailored to your and your spouse, but a few common marriage therapy goals that could resonate with you could include:
- Achieving better communication
- Building more trust
- Enhancing intimacy
- Learning how to appropriately handle arguments
- Learning how to compromise
- Teamwork for household or child duties
Focus On Your Own Changes Rather Than Your Partners
It’s easy to point fingers and place blame in times of difficulty. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that you might be the one who needs to make some changes, whether it’s physical changes or how you approach things in your relationship. But, being able to focus on your own growth is a skill when times are tough. When both parties are so focused on making sure their partner is the one doing the changing, no one is improving or doing any internal reflecting. A great way to enter marriage therapy is with the goal in mind to work on yourself rather than your partner. Having a goal to become a better spouse is a great attitude that will ultimately help your relationship in the long run.
Be Prepared For Changes And Compromise
When you decide to participate in marriage therapy or couples counselling with your partner, be prepared to make some tough changes and make compromises. You can talk about particular issues in therapy, but you’ll likely have to take some actionable work home with you and apply it to your relationship. Whether they’re short-term changes to see how things turn out, or permanent changes for your relationship, changes will be made nonetheless.
Marriage therapy, much like marriage itself, is something you truly need to work hard at. But being open-minded about making compromises and working on yourself for the greater good can really take the things you learn in therapy to the next level.
Maintain An Open Mind
Attitude is extremely important when it comes to making changes in your relationship (and life) with marriage counselling. Be honest with yourself and your partner about how you truly feel about marriage therapy and how you plan on approaching things. We understand some people may feel skeptical of seeking out therapy for their relationship or marriage, but you may be surprised at just how many couples feel as though they have benefited from therapy.
Reach Out To Marriage Therapists Ottawa Today!
If you and your partner are thinking about marriage therapy in Ottawa or other specialized kinds of therapy, reach out to our team. Dr. Rovers and his associates are experts in marriage counselling and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the marriage counselling process. Invest in the future of your relationship and book a consultation today! Dr. Rovers’ Associates are located throughout the Ottawa region so you can choose a location that works best for you and your partner. Whether you live in Ottawa Central, East, West, and South, we can easily accommodate the most convenient location for you.