Marriages are like fingerprints – no two are the same. Some marriages are able to go along happily without outside help, while others struggle under the stresses of everyday help. If you and your partner have been struggling in your relationship for a while, it may be time to call in the calvary in the form of a counsellor or therapist. Admitting you need help can be a frightening and humbling experience, but couples and marriage counseling can be the first step towards a healthier and happier relationship with your partner. Here are 5 signs that you should seek marriage counseling.
1: Poor Communication
A communication breakdown can often be one of the first signs of a failing relationship that most people notice, and by its very nature it is a difficult obstacle to overcome. Whether your relationship has devolved into yelling or the silent treatment, couples and marriage counselling can help you stop those toxic cycles and start communicating with your partner again.
2: Lack of Physical or Emotional Intimacy
This is an indicator that can often get lost in the daily grind, partly because it is a symptom of the daily grind. If you and your partner don’t have time to practice at physical and emotional intimacy, treating each other as roommates or coworkers rather than two people in a relationship, then your relationship is probably suffering. There are things that you can do to foster physical and emotional intimacy outside of therapy, but if this problem persists a counselor may be able to offer you options that you haven’t thought of on your own.
3: Broken Trust
This is one of the most dramatic and devastating indicators, mostly because romantic relationships are created through and built on trust. Maybe you suspect that your partner is lying to you, or maybe you know that you are lying to them. Maybe it’s the physical sort of cheating our minds always jump to, or maybe trust has been broken in a different way, through finances or through social media. No matter what has happened, once trust has been broken it is difficult to repair and sometimes impossible to go back to the way things were before. If the loss of trust is serious, having someone professional to mediate is an excellent reason to seek out couples or marriage counselling.
4: Major Life Changes
Even if your relationship has been steady and solid so far, major life changes can throw a wrench in the works that even the most dedicated couple can have trouble dealing with. These major life changes can be something positive, such as the birth of a child or a well-deserved promotion, or something more challenging, such as the death of a loved one. No matter what changes you and your partner are facing in life, it is going to affect your relationship. If you are having trouble finding your footing after a major life change, then seeking out professional help can certainly be an option.
5: Addiction
Addiction is a serious condition that can happen to anyone and affects all aspects of their life. If you are in a relationship and you or your partner are struggling with an addiction, it is obviously going to put a certain amount of strain on your relationship. If left to fester without professional help, addiction in all its forms can eventually become dangerous to both the addicted individual and those who love them. Whether the addiction takes the form of gambling, alcohol, drugs, or another addiction, finding a professional who specializes in addiction is the first step to recovery. The second step, and the one that will help to rebuild your relationship, is marriage counselling.