It takes a lot of courage to admit that you and your partner need to go for couples therapy. But this is a step in the right direction in strengthening your relationship. There are certain things that you will need to consider when choosing couples therapy and it is good to have a basic understanding of what you will expect.
It can be very helpful to speak to an expert regarding your relationship because they will be able to help you improve your communication skills so that you are able to express your thoughts and feelings more clearly to each other. This allows you to understand your partner in a deeper way which can help clear up a lot of misunderstandings. When you go for couples therapy, there will be an initial assessment that will take place where the psychologist or the therapist will ask you about the history of the relationship and the background of each person. You will also be introducing the specific issues that led you on the path to couples therapy. This is where the therapist will gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of your relationship and come up with an approach. After the initial assessment, you and your partner can set goals for therapy with the guidance of the psychologist. This can be resolving specific conflicts between one another, improving communication skills or improving emotional intimacy.
That couples therapy can be successful is that there is a safe and non-judgemental space where you can express your thoughts and feelings. You will feel heard and validated during the sessions. Having a safe space will allow both partners to be open and honest with each other. The dynamics of each relationship can vary and there can be certain triggers for conflicts that you will need to identify. For example, there can be past experiences that have led to the present behaviour of you or your partner. And couples therapy will allow you to explore these underlying issues and helps to create a foundation to develop healthier ways to interact with each other.
And many people are not aware of how to be effective at their communication. But a psychologist can help you learn certain techniques such as active listening, how to express your feelings without blaming the other person and using constructive dialogue. This will allow you to be more authentic to yourself. In addition to focusing on the relationship, couples therapy also addresses individual needs. The psychologist will also work with each partner to understand their traumas, personal history and patterns of behaviour that is affecting the relationship. This will allow the partners to grow as individuals as well so that the overall health of the relationship can improve. You will run into conflict in any relationship but with couples therapy, you will learn conflict resolution strategies so that you can navigate a disagreement without escalating the situation into destructive arguments.