Counseling

As a marriage counselor, what do I look for to indicate whether counseling will be successful? Here are some observations I've made over the years.

When a spouse comes alone. Some couples prefer to see the counse

This article describes some of the main factors in why marriage counseling works and under what circumstances.

This article addresses the communication problems that lead to persistent marital conflict. Good communication techniques are not easliy learned under stressful conditions. Counseling may be an answer to break up the pattern of repetitive and destructive arguments.

Do you feel stuck in a marriage with poor communication habits? Do you have too many arguments that go nowhere and stir up with hostility and hurt feelings? Do you start off with the best intentions only to have your conversations deteriorate into anger, retorts, withdrawal, and frustration?

You have worked to solve these problems on your own. Recognize that your best efforts aren't good enough. Goodness knows how many times and different ways you've tried to get to the bottom of your conflicts.

This article describes how couples can be constructive by choosing to seek out marital counseling and putting a hold on trying to resolve their differences until they receive guidance. Suggestions are made on how to create goodwill so you both feel like trying when you get to the counselor's office.

This article points out how going for counseling is a courageous act that requires a recognition of the importance of solving rahter than avoiding problems. Men who seek out counseling and gain information about difficult interpersonal problems show they are willing to learn and apply new concepts into their lives.

This article summarizes the thoughts of William Doherty on how people who enter individual counseling while experiencing marriage problems find the experience destabilizing for their marriage. One situation is when a person goes to marriage counseling and receives therapy from an untrained or ineffective counselor. Another situation arises when people with marriage probems seek individual therapy. The relationship lends itself to a one-sided perspective of the marriage without addressing the marriage from a systemic point of view.

How does a couple navigate through the turbulence of hurt and anger after an affair has been discovered? How can an affair be put in the past?

Step one: No third party. Unless the third party is physically and em

As a marriage counselor, I have seen many situations where couples enter counseling in a state of crisis. There is great pain and ambivalence for both partners as they seek to communicate and reconcile.

One goal of counseling is to dev

After two or three marriage counseling sessions I can tell how much real change can occur in a relationship. The cues don't relate to the couple's problems, but to the feelings generated when they talk to each other.

I notice their att