7 Benefits of Couples Therapy That Lead to A Better Relationship

Arguments and disagreements in a relationship happen. You aren’t always going to see eye-to-eye on everything. Relationships can all benefit from having a safe space for both to just talk and get to understand each other better. While it’s normal to have arguments in a relationship, improving communication, understanding each other’s perspectives and coming to appreciate your own worth in the relationship all contribute towards finding resolutions faster.

Couples therapy benefits couples in all manner of situations. There doesn’t have to be a crisis point in a relationship to need the help of a counsellor. Below are some of the benefits that couples therapy can bring;

1. Understand Each Other Better

   Part of couples counselling involves building on empathy in the relationship. Understanding your partner’s perspective and viewpoints helps you to rationalise their reactions to things you say and do. Their responses will make more sense and you’ll be in a better position to help. This helps resolve any misunderstandings which lead to friction in the relationship..

2. Resolve Disputes With A Neutral Party

   Sometimes, you need a neutral mediator to get through a dispute that is really impacting your relationship. Friends and family can struggle to act impartially when it’s a personal matter that affects you both. Your counsellor is well placed to listen to both sides and help with a fresh perspective with what’s happening . Some disputes are much more serious than others and will take time to work out. Having someone neutral available to control the narrative away from cyclical arguments will get you closer to solving the conflict without fear of things escalating. As a result, you both understand each other’s sides of the conflict and develop further understanding.

3. Improve Communication

   When you admit to friends and family that you’re having a disagreement with your partner, very often you get told to ‘just talk to them about it’. If only that was so simple. Communicating our feelings doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Couples therapy helps you to learn and feel comfortable with expressing how you feel.

   More than that, however, couples therapy also helps you learn how to listen. Communication is a two-way street. While you learn how to talk openly about your opinions and wishes, your partner learns how to listen. Conversation becomes more of an enjoyable practice for you both, leading to fewer disagreements as you can both communicate comfortably around each other.

4. Restore Trust

   Trust is essential for any healthy relationship. Rebuilding trust takes time and a lot of commitment from both parties. Feelings such as rejection, abandonment, betrayal and guilt are hard to work through, but with enough patience, understanding and forgiveness, trust can be reestablished over time. Whatever the cause for the fracture or distress in the relationship , we can work together to heal wounds and help to build on feelings of mutual respect in a relationship. We encourage open communication to work through any future mistrust and fears, reinforcing transparency and a commitment towards the relationship.

5. Good for Self-Awareness

   Couples therapy doesn’t just focus on the relationship. It also focuses on you and helps you understand your own needs and what you’d like out of the relationship. In therapy, you’ll have the freedom to explore your feelings and discuss them openly. What you come to learn about yourself may surprise even you and learning why you feel a certain way helps to validate why you become hurt in particular situations. Understanding your triggers and behaviours will also help your partner to understand.

6. Deal With Roadblocks In The Relationship

   Couples therapy works through issues that you may struggle to work through on your own, or might be avoiding as they’re difficult to talk about. These roadblocks stop you from moving forwards or cause you to feel stuck or even cause you to consider giving up on the relationship entirely. These can be major life-changing decisions that neither of you can agree on or it could just be an impasse. Your counsellor can help unpick the situation and work with you on exploring the underlying emotions.

7. Improve Intimacy

   Reigniting your passions for each other and rekindling your attraction can help reconnect a relationship that is drifting apart. Common for long-term relationships within a marriage, the spark can feel as if its dimmed. Couples therapy helps you both to talk openly about what you miss about each other. Intimacy doesn’t just mean the physical aspect of the relationship, but an emotional one. You can take comfort from each other through physical contact, but you can also reconnect by letting your partner in when you feel vulnerable. Feeling loved and appreciated goes a long way in a relationship.

Don’t let things fester between you and reach out to a couples counsellor

While many individuals are able to admit that they need therapy when struggling, couples are less likely to admit that their relationship needs the same help. Couples therapy is for relationships in any stage. If you’re both unhappy and unable to resolve the tension between you on your own, couples therapy is that safe space for you to work through your problems and come away as a stronger couple as a result.

Couples therapy isn’t just about resolving conflicts and moving past them. It’s about nurturing a bond that’s built on communication and understanding.

If you would like to arrange an initial appointment with one of our couples counsellors, email us at admin@therapyclinicbrighton.com. We will then be in touch with the next steps.