When both partners in a relationship are positive about meeting with an experienced couples counselling therapist, the chances of success are better than when one of the individuals remains completely negative throughout the process. What will your therapist expect from you?
Making an Early Decision
A couples counselling therapist will hope to meet both partners at the earliest possible stage, when they have decided that counselling is probably the best next step to take, especially when they are struggling with a troubled relationship. Unfortunately, many couples may leave the decision to meet with a therapist until it is almost too late. Being acted upon as the last possible solution to the difficulty, either or both partners may have already decided that the sessions are bound to fail.
How to View Your Relationship
Your couples counselling therapist will attempt to help you look clearly at your relationship, stop blaming each other for everything and consider all your successes over the previous years. There must have been very good reasons for two individuals to form together as a couple. Although one or both of you will have changed either partially or considerably over the years, it helps to analyze all the positive aspects from the relationship before new plans and goals can be devised.
There may have been considerable changes in behaviors that the other partner does not agree with or accept. Both partners will have the opportunity to share their feelings and emotions about these changes in behavior and these actions alone may provide sufficient guidance for ways that the relationship can continue, with modifications.
A lack or breakdown of communication is often key to any difficulties within a relationship. The therapist will try to encourage new skills to be learnt so that both partners can learn how to communicate and listen so that both are allowed a calm voice in all negotiations.
