The prospect of couples therapy or marriage counselling is frightening to many people. Questions may include What will they find out? What will it say about me? These are normal fears. This could explain however why so many couples wait until it’s too late to reverse the damage in their relationships. It could also explain why so often, as a therapist, I see only half the couple coming for counselling, somehow thinking if they get help, they can fix the relationship for both of them. Indeed so often the person coming for therapy has been “sent” by their partner, while that absent partner denies their own culpability in the problems in the relationship. As a therapist, it is difficult to do “couples therapy” with only half the couple there, though it can provide a safe space for individuals to speak freely and honestly, identifying their part in the relationship problems and their goals for addressing them. We all have something we can work on and our own work can have an impact on the relationship environment. If you have been thinking about couples therapy or marriage counselling but are afraid of what might happen inside a therapist’s office, this upcoming podcast can give you a taste as well known relationship and counselling expert, and Ted Talk speaker Esther Perel allows you to sit in on her sessions.
If you are thinking about marriage counselling or individual counselling about your relationships, please get in touch at cortney@ontariotherapist.com.
