Call 501-222-3463 for a free consultation

If a friend tells you they are seeing a couples therapist with their spouse, you may assume their relationship hit a rough patch. Marriage counseling is frequently seen as a last-ditch effort in crumbling marriages, but realistically, any relationship can benefit from seeing a couples therapist. Even the happiest couples seek marriage counseling occasionally — not just for adultery counseling or divorce recovery counseling. Wondering how counseling can help benefit your relationship? A variety of positive benefits can result from seeing a Little Rock couples counseling therapist.

Every Relationship Requires Work

Couples often seek therapy for infidelity, lack of intimacy in marriage, divorce recovery counseling, or to renew relationship sparks. Marriage counseling, however, can also be beneficial to keeping a relationship alive and healthy. A romantic relationship is essential to most people’s happiness and well-being, but they do require work and commitment to sustain. Every relationship has ups and downs, periods of discontent, or times when one partner or the other seems removed. Every couple has to work to keep their love life lively and fresh.

What is a Healthy Relationship?

All relationships are unique, but a few key characteristics are commonly found in healthier relationships. When you are aware of these essential aspects, you can more successfully maintain a loving, fulfilling relationship — regardless of your mutual goals or most challenges you encounter. Healthy relationships require, at a minimum, these four things:

  1. Keep a strong emotional connection with one another.
  2. Do not shy away from disagreement.
  3. Communicate with each other.
  4. Maintain outside relationships and hobbies.

The Benefits of Seeing a Little Rock Couples Counseling Therapist

Most couples only spend time working on their relationship when they run into problems like adultery or a lack of intimacy in marriage. Once the problem is resolved, their attention goes back to their kids, jobs, or hobbies. Seeing a Little Rock couples counseling therapist can help keep the romance alive. A couples therapist can also teach partners the skills they need to manage relationship dysfunction faster and more successfully.

Communication

Good communication is one of the essential aspects of a strong, lasting relationship. It creates and maintains intimacy in marriage, encouraging partners to really feel connected. Couples need to take the time to check in with each other regularly. Really talking to one another about subjects besides household chores or the kids can be extremely beneficial to the relationship — it can even help you maintain a deeper connection over time.

You should not avoid difficult topics with your spouse. When you keep problems and worries to yourself, resentments build. When you communicate about tough subjects, however, the way you communicate is essential: Be kind. Research shows that the methods you use to communicate with your partner are arguably the most important part of that communication. Any negativity in your communication patterns can be detrimental to the conversation, not to mention your relationship.

Even if your relationship is not lacking in communication, seeing a couples therapist can help improve the way you communicate. A therapy session gives you time to check in with one another and talk about something besides your home life or jobs.

Healthy Fighting

Arguments are part of every relationship, even and especially healthy ones. That being said, some fighting styles are extremely harmful. Couples that use injurious behavior in a disagreement — screaming, resorting to low blows, or even withdrawal from the argument altogether — do not last as long as couples who using the fight to solve problems. Employing constructive fighting strategies, such as actively listening to your partner’s concerns and trying to empathize, is a much healthier way to approach an argument.

A couples therapist creates a safe space for you to open up to your partner and talk about any problems or concerns you have. Your Little Rock couples counseling therapist can help you practice fighting fair, making sure your fights are going to improve your relationship… not just be a constant source of contention. Having an impartial third party around to referee these arguments is a great way to make sure fights stay productive.

Renew the Relationship Spark

With kids, work, and other outside responsibilities, lack of intimacy in your marriage can occur. Staying connected to your spouse and maintaining intimacy in your marriage can be a struggle when all kinds of other things are happening around you both. Going to a couples counseling therapist in Little Rock can give you the time away from your life to renew your relationship spark.

In order to keep a relationship interesting, couples need regular outings together. If you always watch a movie on Netflix or eat out at the same restaurant, it’s time to get out of the same old routine! Try something new together. If you cannot come up with ideas, your couples therapist can help you brainstorm and plan exciting new dates together, like going on an afternoon picnic, taking a cooking class, going dancing, or even attending a couples retreat.

When a Little Rock Couples Counseling Therapist is Essential

All relationships go through rocky patches, but certain factors are more likely to create problems in a relationship. Decisions about money and parenting tend to create the most recurring conflicts, for instance. One indication of a significant problem is having the same fight over and over again. When this happens, visiting a Little Rock couples counseling therapist can help improve a couple’s communication and find constructive ways to get past the problem.

Seeing a couples therapist is not only for when your relationship is in trouble, but some problems need help more than others. Adultery counseling or divorce recovery counseling are much more effective than trying to discover solutions to these problems on your own. Marriage counseling teaches good communication, listening, and conflict resolution skills that can drastically improve the state of your partnership.

For More Information

Whether you are seeking counseling for infidelity, lack of intimacy, or simply want to renew your relationship spark with a Little Rock couples counseling therapist, our professional and experienced counselors at Arkansas Relationship Counseling Center are here to help. We can answer any questions you have, talk you through our services, discuss online counseling options, or schedule an initial consultation to figure out which of our couples therapists will be right for you. Contact us online or call 501-222-3563 today to find out how your marriage can bloom!

Pin It on Pinterest