Seeking Refuge Through Counseling

2 Reasons To Seek Marriage Counseling Before You Really Need It

When you think of marriage counseling, you may picture a couple that is on the brink of divorce sitting in an office trying to work through major problems. While this is true in many cases, other couples choose to seek counseling before they reach this point. If you are starting to experience minor problems in your marriage, you too may want to consider getting help now. Here are two benefits marriage counseling can offer, even when the problems you have seem minor.

Problems are easier to solve if you address them quickly

Studies show that marriage counseling tends to work approximately 70% to 80% of the time, as long as couples seek help from a good counselor. If you want to work out the issues you have, seeking help from a counselor is your best option.

You should also realize that seeking help for minor problems may help you avoid major problems and conflicts in your marriage, and minor conflicts are generally easier to fix compared to major ones.

In marriage, all issues are like that. They begin small and tend to compound as time goes by. Unresolved issues can lead to feelings of sadness, anger, and hopelessness, and the problem is that they never go away. Addressing them now can prevent further problems in your marriage.

You can learn better strategies for solving problems

Finally, seeking counseling before you think you need it may help you and your spouse learn and develop better strategies for solving your marital problems. Many couples fight because they do not know any different. If you could learn better ways to handle your disagreements, it could help you have a better marriage for the rest of your life.

Some tips you may learn through counseling might include:

  • Setting up appointment times to discuss issues – By doing this, you are showing that you value your marriage and are committed to making it work. You can also schedule times to talk when the kids are gone, or when you know you will not be distracted.
  • Developing rules for conversations – Your counselor might suggest coming up with rules for disagreements. An example of a rule could be limiting each spouse to a certain amount of time when talking. The other spouse will then receive the same amount of time to respond.
  • Learning how to make win-win decisions – Solving problems in marriage requires action and decisions. When you learn how to make decisions so that each spouse wins, you will both be happier, and your marriage may begin to thrive.

If you wait too long to seek help for your marriage problems, they may be harder to solve. It's better to get the help you need before you reach major impasses in your marriage, and you can do this by looking for a good marriage counselor in your area.

To learn more, contact a marriage counselor like Center for Relationships


Share