Most of the couples, if not all of them, experience conflicts due to some reason or the other. While experiencing relationship problems, it might feel like there is nowhere to turn. Perhaps people normally go to their partners with problems, which in turn feels invalidating. Psychologists in India are of the opinion that, no matter the reason, one should not be afraid to ask for help.

Couples counselling or marital therapy is a type of psychotherapy which helps people recognize and resolve conflicts and improve their relationships. Through marital therapy one can make thoughtful decisions about either rebuilding and strengthening the relationship or going separate ways.

Many partners struggle together for years before trying therapy but it’s always better to go earlier in the process. Unhealthy behaviour and resentful feelings can become more difficult to change the longer that they continue.
Some couples seek marriage counselling to strengthen their partnership and gain a better understanding of each other. Marriage counselling can also help couples who plan to get married. Premarital counselling can help couples achieve a deeper understanding of each other and be able to manage the differences they might be having before marriage. Let us look at the few areas relationship counsellors in Pune usually deal with:

  • The intervention helps both partners conceptualize their relationship in a more objective manner, stop blaming, and understand that what happens to them happens to them together. The partners change their views of the relationship in a more positive manner and approach their relationship in a manner more conductive to keeping them together as a unit.

  • Dysfunctional behaviours are modified, such that the partners learn to act in manners that do not cause psychological, physical, or emotional harm. The relationship counsellors in Pune work with partners on the relationship aspects and may recommend individual treatment, such as anger management or substance use disorder treatment for a partner, depending on the issue being addressed.
  • Communication is improved by fostering closeness and commitment to one another. Often, the therapist coaches the partners on how to communicate in a more supportive and effective manner. Empathy and understanding are stressed.
  • Emotional isolation or avoidance is decreased. The therapist assists individuals who are reluctant or fearful to express their feelings to their partner to learn to do so in a manner that promotes sharing and intimacy.

In conclusion, the primary benefits of couples counselling can be summed up as:

  • Understanding how to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner
  • The development of communication skills that will foster a healthy relationship
  • Learning how to be assertive without being offensive
  • Learning how to express one’s needs without resentment or anger
  • Learning acceptance and forgiveness
  • Actually processing and working through unresolved issues, as the therapeutic environment allows the couple to express their feelings in a safe environment
  • A deeper understanding of oneself and of one’s partner
  • The ability to address and work through a crisis (e.g., the death of an important family member)
  • Increased honesty and trust
  • The development of a supportive environment where partners learn to avoid issues with isolation and apathy