What is Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy focuses on the relationship between the two people, married or otherwise, without blaming either person for the problems. People sometimes seek couples therapy prior to moving in together, getting married, or when considering any change in the relationship. Studies support this practice as it is an excellent way to identify areas of potential conflict, establish healthy patterns of resolution, and develop reasonable expectations. Couples might also seek therapy when there is a feeling of dissatisfaction within the unit, following a trauma (i.e. death, infidelity), or a significant change (i.e. a move, birth of a child). Couples therapy typically focuses on the communication between the partners, either verbal, non verbal, or sexual. During the session, couples will learn to utilize non-blaming “I” statements and learn effective listening skills. The therapist will work to enlighten each partner as to the impact his/her behavior and words have on the other and identify m
Most of us have no trouble accepting that we are not born knowing how to play the piano. We understand, however, that with discipline, effort, practice and a sympathetic teacher we can learn. And yet for some reason we don’t regularly apply this same understanding to the art of relationship. Imagine how frustrating it would be to sit down at the piano for the very first time without any instruction or guidance, and expect to play a Chopin Nocturne. We wouldn’t be able to read the music much less move our fingers across the keys. And yet in almost every case, couples that come to see me for therapy believe that they should automatically know how to build and sustain healthy, loving relationships. And often they are filled with a deep sense of failure, that there is something wrong with them or their partner because their relationship is not what they feel it should or could be. But there is nothing wrong – why should we expect to know how to do something that we’ve never learned? Buildi
