8 Signs to Start Couples Therapy

It can be difficult to navigate a relationship, especially if you and your partner disagree on your future plans and how frequently you should clean the house. When these disagreements get unpleasant and frequent, seek marriage counseling. Here are six signs that your partnership may require a therapist.

When you and your partner disagree on fundamental matters such as your future goals and how often you should clean your house, it may be difficult to manage your relationship. If these disagreements become frequent and harmful, seek marriage counseling. Keep an eye out for these eight signs that your relationship may require counseling.

  1. Relationship Gridlock
  2. When You’re No Longer Satisfied
  3. No Physical Relationship
  4. Non-Stop Arguments
  5. You Don’t Feel Good About Yourself
  6. You Are Being Driven Away
  7. You Don’t Like Who You Are Becoming
  8. Trust Has Been Broken

Relationship Gridlock

It’s difficult to sort out problems in a relationship, especially when two people see things differently. That’s why many people seek couples counseling. It’s difficult for anyone to agree on how to win in every dispute, so it’s necessary to work out issues in a relationship. You may be locked in a gridlocked impasse if you have difficulties resolving your problems. It may be time to seek help from a marriage counselor if you recognise there is a significant problem and you want professional assistance on how to fix it. You are not doomed or not working hard enough if you seek couples counseling.

When You’re No Longer Satisfied

If your marital relationship is not flourishing, you should consider marriage counseling. Although unhappiness is normal in marriages, this shouldn’t last too long without really hurting your union. This exception applies when one partner is dissatisfied and wishes for more from their relationship but does not desire to make improvements. If you or your spouse are no longer content and hope that marital counseling will fix things, you might be let down. Couples counseling is a demanding process, and it will require a lot of effort.

No Physical Relationship

Sex therapy is sought out by couples in most cases when one partner loses or loses interest in sex. A recent UK surveyshowed that 15% of men and 34% of women reported that they were not really interested in sex. The loss or decline in sexual desire is a major reason for the break up and divorce.  Both physical and mental health can create a loss of libido.  It is important to understand what is really going on and a counselor can help.

Non-Stop Arguments

When you or your partner want to discuss relationship issues calmly or rationally, sometimes your emotions get in the way. A couple may fight about a specific issue for months on end and still appear unable to resolve it—even if they both want to improve things. If your relationship has been plagued by long-standing issues, you may need marriage counseling. You may wish to seek the assistance of a professional couples counselor.

You Don’t Feel Good About Yourself

No one person can make another person happy all of the time. When your partner fails to make you feel good, they will eventually begin to feel like their efforts are not enough. You will also be less inclined to support your partner if you begin to feel bad about yourself. Instead, you will probably become more critical of them, which can have a negative impact on your relationship.

Having a healthy love life is dependent on accepting and loving who you are, particularly when those feelings are also present in your own life. If your own self-esteem is disturbed and unsure, then your spouse’s might too. Couples counseling is often necessary when self-esteem issues arise in relationships.

You Are Being Driven Away

You must both be content and committed in order for a relationship to work. Many marriages have survived storms because one partner wanted out (believed they were with someone who did not get them or was drifting away from them). On the other hand, if one of you wanted out, that relationship would probably not survive the storm.

A couples counselor can help you determine whether a person really wants out if they are unhappy or whether they simply have doubts about what being married entails. A marriage therapist can also help you evaluate whether there are specific problems in your relationship (such as a lack of communication) that need to be addressed in order for both spouses to be happy in their marriage for the long term.

You Don’t Like Who You Are Becoming

It is possible for your relationship to bring out the worst in you. If you’ve been stuck in blame, defensiveness, and criticism for too long, you might not like who you’ve become. Or, perhaps, jealousy and mistrust are dominating your thoughts. You might daydream about who you used to be and wish you could be that person again.

Though your spouse might still need marriage counseling, you can work on your relationship problems through conversation and changing your interactions. You might also start relationship counseling separately from your partner.

Marriage counseling can be extremely beneficial before you reach the point of no return in your relationship. Even if your partnership is just beginning to suffer or has been under stress for some time, there are certain indications that you should seek professional assistance. A professional couples counselor or marriage therapist can assist you with signs that indicate when you should seek assistance.

You should seek help for your relationship problems as soon as possible if any of these sound familiar. By identifying these early signs, you and your partner can improve your relationship in any way possible.

Trust Has Been Broken

There are many ways to lose the trust of your partner. It doesn’t have to be physical, person-to-person infidelity.

  • You might believe that your partner is lying. 
  • Or perhaps you know that you are lying. 
  • There might have been infidelity.
  • One of you could be engaged in an emotional affair

These situations are likely to cause a breakup and counseling can statistically help.

NEXT STEPS

If you are experiencing relationship issues, we invite you to call us at 720-551-4553 for a free 20-minute phone consultation with a therapy specialist or click to learn more about our Marriage and Couples Counseling Services.
We have offices in Lakewood CO & Longmont CO and also do online therapy.

Self Care Impact Counseling envisions a new age of counseling for adolescents, adults, couples & groups that makes a REAL difference with core values of GROWTH | BALANCE | COMPASSION | INNER HARMONY.