6 Principles of Effective Couple Therapy

When things in your marriage are not going well, deciding your future is daunting.

Should you stay together? Separate? Divorce?

A marriage workshop or couples counseling can help you and your partner make those difficult decisions. However, you may be concerned with attending a workshop or seeking counseling because of perceptions that they are fruitless.

Well, that perception is partly true.

Research-based retreats, such as Gottman marriage workshops, has high rates of success. Retreats that are not data-based are more likely to have short- and long-term negative results for a couple.

In this article, I will focus on effective couples therapy.

If you are under the care of an experienced and trained therapist, then couple relationship therapy is the most effective way heal a troubled relationship and make important decisions for your family.

According to a survey by the American Psychology Association, 75% of couples found relationship therapy to be effective in controlling stressful episodes in their married lives. A research-based treatment plan can bring positive changes in your life and develop an amazing partnership between you and your partner.

However, an inept or inexperienced therapist who rely on trends of the day can do more harm than good.

Read on to know more about the 6 key principles of effective couple therapy.

  • Increases Emotional Attachment

Couples who do not express their private feelings are at a risk of growing apart. Effective couple therapy provides a safe place to open up and explore hidden feelings. The discovery process brings couples together, and increases trust and commitment. Often, a therapist will recommend couples to attend a couples retreat or workshop, such as Gottman marriage workshops, to cement the bond they are nurturing in sessions.

  • Modifies Dysfunctional Behavior

Dysfunctional relationships are those in which partners’ behavior patterns are undesirable or abnormal. Dysfunctional behavior includes an imbalance of power, emotional disengagement, destructive communication and unnecessary blaming. A careful and thorough intake assessment by the therapist is crucial for a developing a successful treatment plan that makes partners aware of destructive behavior.

Properly trained therapists will have resources and exercises to help partner replace bad behavior with positive, healthy ones.

  • Improves Communication

Good communication is vital for a strong connection and intimacy between the partners. Effective couple therapy teaches partners how to communicate, especially in times of conflict, in a healthy, productive way. Therapy also makes partners aware of toxic communication, such as those that are abusive and derogatory manner.

  • Builds Resilience Between Partners

Couple therapy not only deals with current problems and ongoing conflicts between couples, it builds friendship, making the relationship resilient to future trials. After you complete your treatment plan, you should feel like you are on a more stable footing and ready for a future with your partner.

  • Builds Trust In The Relationship

Trust is the base of any relationship. But the events of infidelity and emotional abuse can destroy the trust between the spouses. Effective therapy digs down to the underlying problem.

This means a lot of hard work on the part of the couples. But the effort is worthwhile. As couples discover the root of problems and open themselves up to vulnerability, they gain a stronger, deeper trust in each other.

  • Changes The Views Of Couples About Relationships

Effective counseling also changes the way couples see their relationship. Many times, couples say counseling allowed them to discover their own and their partners’ life dreams. Armed with the tools they learned in therapy, they are ready to work together to achieve them.

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The Bottom Line -:

If couples therapy scares you or if you are concerned with the effectiveness of couples therapy, remember the rewards far outweigh the risks. Do your homework and find a trained couples therapist.

Author’s Bio:

Sunny Skousen’s aim as a Professional Content Curator is to engage and influence her audience with thoughtful and research-based blogs. She specializes in writing about Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Faith-Based Counseling, Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Grief/Loss and Trauma, and more!