Most couples start off in the beginning feeling “in love” and thinking they’ve found their person. As the relationship develops over time, they eventually experience their partner’s humanness. Your response or reaction to this discovery in your partner can reveal how you manage stress. Stress alters perception. It is the perception that influences how communication and connection take place.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Psychotherapist specializing in couples, I use a creative and holistic approach to deepen the couples connection. Whether you come to repair from betrayal, explore a healthier style of communication or need to get tools on how to cope with the different stressors life throws at you, choosing the therapeutic setting to explore these needs can offer you an opportunity to redesign your partnership.
Q: How does stress impact communication between the couple?
A: Many couples do not recognize stress, as the reason for the strain in their communication. When individuals are stressed, their ability to remain present, actively listen and respond thoughtfully can be directly impacted. Stressful situations can produce unhealthy responses. Therapy can offer new ways of managing the stress that affects the couple.
Q: When is the right time to seek marriage therapy?
A: The best time to seek marriage counseling is anytime, but for certain before you have one foot out the door. Too many couples associate marriage therapy with marriage failing. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Most individuals are not given a “formal education” on how to do healthy relationships. Couples therapy can provide you the forum in which to learn about your partner and their needs. It offers the space for both people in the relationship, recognizing there are two people, two stories and two histories that need to be told. Couple’s therapy is really about increasing Emotional Intelligence and offering the couple an opportunity to Re-Design their relationship.
