Can Marriage Counseling Save your Relationship?

Author: Yaji Category: Counseling & Communication, Relationships Published: April 3, 2014

Marriage rates are on the decline today, and a number of factors are to blame. An oft-repeated statistic claims that nearly fifty per cent of first marriages end in divorce. When divorces do happen, they take a heavy toll on everyone involved. Divorce is one of the most stressful events that you can experience in life, leading to feelings of failure, shame, rage, loss of control, sadness, guilt, self-doubt, betrayal, and low self-esteem. Children, if involved, can face emotions ranging from denial and anger to guilt and a feeling of abandonment.

On the other hand, there are times that divorce is not only necessary, but also the healthiest option for some couples and families. Not all marriages are salvageable and the process of marriage counseling can help couples determine if splitting for good is actually a healthier option than staying together and being miserable. If divorce turns out to be the right choice, marriage counseling can also help couples mediate the separation to ease the emotional burden for everyone.

For many couples however, salvaging whatever is left of the relationship is the preferable choice. It is natural for any relationship to go through challenges and difficulties, and when it does, seeking professional help is the right thing to do. One big reason, beyond the obvious, is that if you don’t work it out in this relationship, it is highly likely that the same negative emotional and behavioral patterns will follow you to the next. Marriage counseling can help you, both as a couple and on an individual level, to identify, understand and resolve the root problems. Through healing emotional wounds and releasing old “baggage”, trust and intimacy can be restored in your love relationship, and can also have positive effects on all your relationships.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and marriage counseling helps you see and accept a difference of opinion when it arises, instead of shunning or feeling belittled by it. It helps a couple identify each other’s needs and aspirations, and move past resentment, disappointments, hurt, betrayal, and pent up anger. You are encouraged to leave your fears and apprehensions behind as you are given effective, constructive communication tools to share your hopes, dreams, worries and concerns with each other and have a positive experience!

Most importantly, marriage counseling focuses on helping you identify and explore your resources as a couple so you can help each other heal, move on and reconnect with the love you both have for each other. Marriage is definitely worth fighting for, and needs to be given a chance to succeed. Couples therapy can offer that chance.