Why Couples Therapy Matters During Happy Times as Much as During Crisis

Posted: September 8, 2021

Many people believe a couple should only seek therapy if they are going through a rough patch. In fact, lots of couples wouldn’t even consider going to a therapist unless they were worried that it might be the only way to save their relationship.

But the purpose of couples therapy is often misunderstood. It’s not just an approach that you can turn to in times of relationship crisis. It can also be highly beneficial for happy couples!

If you’re in a healthy, loving relationship, but you’re curious about couples therapy, it might be a good choice for you and your partner. Here’s how couples therapy can make a difference, even in happy relationships.

Learning Communication Skills

Couples therapy is a great place to work on skills that you and your partner can rely on when things feel rocky. For instance, you can learn how to disagree with each other’s perspectives without resorting to personal attacks. You can also practice getting your point across without making your partner feel like their opinion doesn’t matter.

If you end up having a heated discussion one day, you can utilize the techniques you worked on in couples therapy to reach a compromise.

Prepare For the Future

Are you and your partner getting ready for a major life change? For example, maybe you are preparing to move to a new place. Or maybe you are expecting your first child. Right now, your life together might be progressing as usual – but you know new challenges are on the horizon.

Going to couples therapy can help you get ready to navigate these changes. You can plan ahead for issues you might face in the future.

Establish Healthy Boundaries

Perhaps you and your partner have healthy boundaries with each other – but what if you’re both struggling to set boundaries with other people in your lives? For instance, you may have relatives who repeatedly push your boundaries, and you’re wondering how to deal with this in a mature way.

You may want to take questions like this to a couples therapist. They can help you set appropriate boundaries with each other and with people in your individual social circles.

Set Goals Together

What if you and your partner are generally happy right now, but you’re not quite sure where your life together is headed? Maybe one or both of you feel uncertain about your careers. Perhaps you are both on the fence about having children, but you want to have an open conversation about this major decision. Or maybe you’re both itching for a change of pace, yet you’re not sure what that should entail.

Working with a couples therapist can help you set goals that suit both of you and help you build the life you really want together.

Check In Regularly

Sometimes, one person in a relationship might have trouble opening up about things that they are struggling with. This can be especially true when the relationship seems great on the surface. They might not want to bring down their partner by talking about their own problems.

Talking to a therapist will allow you both to check in with each other, just to make sure that you’re both genuinely satisfied with your relationship and your individual lives. You might have the opportunity to talk about an issue that neither of you had addressed before. Being vulnerable in therapy can be liberating.

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Do you feel you and your partner could use some support, even if your relationship is generally happy? Couples therapy could be the solution. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.