Are relationships supposed to feel this overwhelming?
Most marriages face challenges and go through phases of disconnection and reconnection, that’s life. But strong relationship skills such as compromise, empathy, listening and validating, can make your relationship resilient to the challenges you face together.
Remember when you first started dating and every conversation was fun, and flirtations, and made you feel special? You probably weren’t thinking back then that you would ever find yourselves where you are today in your marriage. It might feel like anything you say is heard as a criticism. And you may try with the best of intentions to listen to each other and talk things through, only to have the conversation blow up again anyways. And every time you try and fail to connect you feel more discouraged about your relationship.
It is not uncommon for couples locked in negative patterns of communication to feel all of these things. We end up believing that it is impossible to turn all the negativity around and start fresh again. That’s a really tough place for a marriage to be. The person that used to be your best friend and your safe place now suddenly feels like an adversary. And living life in defense mode is so draining of your time and energy and enthusiasm. Many couples contact me and say that they have tried everything they can to work together but they seem to get sucked right back into the same arguments and power struggles that never go anywhere. I agree that this is a terrible way to live life and I don’t want you to feel stuck in such a rut for even a moment longer.
In couples counseling we will work together to….
- Strengthen your friendship with each other
- Manage conflict more effectively
- Build a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in your relationship
In affair recovery counseling we will work together to….
- Atone for the wounds that have been inflicted
- Attune to each other’s emotional needs
- Attach and bond in a deeper way
A happy and thriving marriage is possible for every couple
If you are ready to strengthen your marriage and relationship through couple counseling please click the ‘I’m Interested!’ button below to get in touch with me, or check out the ‘How To Get Started’ page.