A Brief Overview on Couple Therapy It is a given that relationships require a ton of hard work and an equal amount of effort from both partners. Just like a machine that works day and night, a relationship too requires a regular round of maintenance to keep it running smoothly without any complications, bumps in the road or breakdowns. Most of the time, a couple can run this round of maintenance themselves by frequently ironing out any kind of differences, misunderstandings or prejudices. This helps the couple communicate and understand each other better. Other times, however, despite dedicated efforts, a couple fails to repair their relationship. In such a situation, it is best for the couple to consider couple therapy. What is Couple Therapy? Couple therapy is a broad form of psychotherapy that is conducted by a counseling psychologist. This therapist works with couples and is experienced in marriage and family therapy. If a couple is facing problems, a therapist can help them resolve conflicts and improve their relationship. Each therapist opts for a certain course of therapy depending on the client’s problem but certain general elements that are common to every couple are: 1. Every couple has one specific problem. (E.g. Addiction, jealousy, infidelity, sexual difficulties etc.) 2. The therapist treats the problem as the ‘couples’ problem’ as opposed to the individuals’ problem. 3. The treatment is primarily directed towards providing constructive solutions and changing orientations & the dynamic of the relationship 4. The therapist must establish clear and crisp treatment objectives 5. Studies show that on an average, out of a hundred percent couples, 97% of couples have received exactly the kind of help they needed to save their relationship from the counseling psychologist and couple therapy. Additionally, 93% of couples believe that therapy armed them with effective methods to deal with conflicts. What kind of relationships benefit from couple therapy? Couple therapy is beneficial for any kind of relationship like: • • • • •
Interracial relationships Straight/Gay relationships Young or old relationships Relationships amongst individuals with a large age gap Relationships with any commitment orientation i.e. dating, married or engaged
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