Couples Issues
Loading Page
Couples' issues are problems that occur in spousal or romantic relationships. While every couple may have some disagreements, couples' issues can grow more severe when unresolved disagreements fester over time, potentially culminating in resentment and emotional distress. These issues can lead to breakups, including divorce. Fortunately, people can strengthen their relationships through communication, empathy, and compromise. Couples counseling can help people overcome relationship problems and work through conflicts in a positive setting.
Some examples of couples' issues include:
Couples counseling, also referred to as couples therapy or marital counseling, can help people assess and better understand fractures in their relationships. A couples counselor may ask partners to determine what problems they are facing. Couples counselors may instruct each partner to describe their underlying emotions, experiences, and beliefs in detail. This process may be performed with both partners in the same room or just one at a time. The goal of this exercise is for partners to gain greater understanding of each other's needs and to create solutions for these needs to be met. For example, a couple may arrive at the conclusion that one partner's work schedule leads the other to feel neglected or overwhelmed. Then, couples might implement strategies such as increased communication and partner agreements. These strategies may address previous conflicts as well as prevent new ones from occurring.
In some instances, couples counselors may recommend individual therapy for one or both partners. Individual therapy can address mental health problems that negatively impact the relationship. With continued counseling, people can restore communication and may gain greater understanding of one another's needs, enabling them to better develop solutions for these needs to be properly met.
