Restore Your Relationship With Marriage Counseling
Free Marriage Consultation
Does your marriage need marital counseling? Nervous of whether or not this is the right path for you and your partner? Meet with a licensed therapist today and decide for yourself the next steps.
Table of contents
- What is marriage therapy?
- Pros & cons of couples therapy
- How marriage counseling works
- Tools and therapy approaches used
- Why is the Gottman Method so successful?
- Cognitive behavioral technique
- Emotionally focused therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Imago therapy
- Five benefits of counseling your marriage
- Will counseling save my marriage?
- Comitting is the key to success
Marriage counseling offers a potent healing platform for couples in Frisco, Texas, invigorating and restoring their bonds. Regular counseling sessions can enlighten you on your partner’s perception of the relationship and impart innovative strategies to enhance communication with your spouse. Collaborating with a professional counselor fosters a judgement-free zone where each partner can candidly express their emotions.
More than just a forum for openly discussing relationship difficulties, this type of therapeutic intervention aids in rebuilding trust and fortifying the bonds of commitment between partners. This process is achieved through the setting of clear boundaries and expectations within the relationship. Armed with this newfound clarity, couples are able to pinpoint and amend detrimental behavioral patterns, thereby stimulating productive and transformative change within their partnership.
Is marriage therapy any different?
A behavioral addiction, also known as a process addiction, is a type of addiction that involves a compulsion to engage in a particular behavior or activity despite negative consequences. Unlike substance addictions, which involve the use of drugs or alcohol, behavioral addictions are related to behaviors that are rewarding and pleasurable in themselves, such as gambling, gaming, internet use, shopping, or sex. Individuals with behavioral addictions may experience intense cravings and loss of control over their behavior, leading to negative consequences such as financial problems, relationship issues, social isolation, and even physical and mental health problems. Behavioral addictions are recognized as a serious mental health issue and may require specialized treatment and support to overcome.
What percentage of marriages are saved by counseling?
The success rate of marriage counseling can vary significantly, influenced by various factors such as the nature of the issues at hand, the competence and expertise of the therapist, and the wholehearted engagement of both partners. In a recent article we published on the success rate of marriages in counseling, it was discovered that over 98% of couples who completed the marriage counseling process successfully avoided divorce. If you find yourself pondering “does marriage counseling work?” and you are desiring to salvage your relationship, prioritizing counseling and therapy with your partner should be the first stop.
Upon exploring the underlying elements that contribute to the remarkable success rate among couples determined in rescuing their marriages, we discerned six prevailing themes:
The Power of Love and Commitment: An abiding love for one another forms the backbone for many couples in their fight for marital preservation. They strive to uphold the pledges of fidelity and partnership made at the outset of their matrimonial journey.
The Binding Force of Family and Children: Often, the presence of children strengthens a couple’s resolve to mend their marital ties. The shared desire to foster a stable, nurturing environment for their offspring helps them steer clear of the emotional and financial upheaval associated with divorce, mitigating the adverse impacts on their children.
A Tapestry of Shared History and Memories: The shared narratives and joyful recollections from years of companionship can make it challenging for couples to sever their bonds.
Guiding Religious or Cultural Principles: Adherence to religious or cultural tenets that uphold marriage as a hallowed institution can influence some couples to strive for marital restoration.
Pursuit of Financial Stability: With the financial burden that accompanies divorce, couples may prefer to salvage their marriage to uphold financial security and sidestep any potential fiscal fallout.
A Platform for Personal Growth: The endeavor to salvage a relationship can catalyze personal growth, enrich their connection, surmount obstacles, and encourage evolution as individuals and as a united entity.
In summary, myriad reasons might lead couples to strive to save their marriage. However, the choice to seek marriage counseling or therapy should be influenced by the unique needs and specific circumstances characterizing each couple’s situation.
Megan Corrieri is Frisco's best Marriage Therapist
MS, LPCC, LPC, NCC
Therapist | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor | Nationally Certified Counselor
As Frisco’s leading marriage therapist, I, Megan Corrieri, bring to the table more than a decade and a half of dedicated experience in the realm of marriage counseling. I take immense pride in helping couples traverse the path of healing, guiding them beyond their issues, and leading them towards the achievement of their recovery aspirations.
My approach is deeply personalized and hinges on the establishment of trust and fostering resilience and emotional intelligence. This methodology empowers me to assist you in steering through relationship issues.
Megan is fully licensed in the states of Texas, Minnesota and Florida. NorthStar Counseling & Therapy is located at 2591 Dallas Parkway STE 300 in Frisco, TX
Pros and Cons of Couples Therapy
Deciding to go to couples therapy can be a difficult decision for any couple. There are many questions that need to be answered, such as “Is marriage counseling really worth it?” and “What kind of commitment is required?” To help answer these questions, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of couples therapy.
Pros
Couples therapy presents a multitude of benefits. It serves as a sanctuary for couples to safely identify and address issues plaguing their relationship, fostering healthier communication patterns. Therapy not only cultivates key communication skills, but also significantly enhances the overall quality of the relationship. Furthermore, the objective third-party perspective offered by a therapist can elucidate the root causes of conflicts, thereby aiding in their resolution and the development of innovative solutions. Engaging in couples therapy early on can preemptively tackle budding issues, potentially staving off more significant problems that could lead to divorce. It is always more advantageous to address issues promptly, rather than waiting for them to become too substantial to manage.
Cons
While couples therapy offers many benefits, it also comes with certain challenges. A successful therapy experience requires a commitment from both parties involved. The investment of time and energy is necessary to achieve the desired outcomes. If one party is not able or willing to make this commitment, the effectiveness of the therapy may be compromised. Therefore, it is essential that both individuals are dedicated to the process from the outset, facilitating progress in each session.
Moreover, couples therapy often involves the discussion of uncomfortable topics such as financial matters or past traumas. Discussing these sensitive subjects in front of a third party, even a professional, can leave individuals feeling vulnerable and exposed. This could potentially exacerbate distress within the relationship. Consequently, it’s vital for partners to communicate openly about their feelings and apprehensions before initiating therapy, ensuring these topics are approached in a healthy, non-judgmental manner.
In Conclusion
Taking the time to invest in your relationship with couples therapy, you will see that it really does work. Prioritizing your relationship can help both partners be more understanding, loving and respectful towards each other, which will in turn strengthen your relationship and help you both to be happier and more fulfilled. Weighing out the pros and cons carefully will help ensure that you make the best possible decision for your situation; after all, no two relationships are exactly alike! If you would like to learn more on how couples therapy could potentially benefit or harm your relationship, then reach out today and start getting the help you need!
How Marriage Counseling Works
This form of therapy is crafted to aid partners in recognizing, comprehending, and addressing their issues. In the therapeutic sessions, individual needs and objectives of each partner are evaluated, alongside a deep dive into the underlying challenges of the couple’s dynamics. The therapist, in this scenario, is instrumental in directing both partners towards the establishment of more beneficial behavioral patterns, contributing positively to their relationship.
Couples will learn how to effectively communicate with one another and recognize destructive patterns of behavior that do not serve their relationship well. Then you can begin to make effective changes for yourself and each other in order to bring about positive results for your relationship. Ultimately, marriage counseling strives to bring healing and enrichment to a couple’s connection by providing an environment in which they can talk openly about concerns without
The therapist will then work with both partners to identify possible solutions that address all of their needs. This could involve discussing various strategies or techniques for communicating effectively with each other or exploring underlying causes of tension in the relationship. The ultimate goal is for both partners to build a stronger understanding of themselves, their partner, and their relationship as a whole.
Tools & Approaches Used
Embarking on a journey of therapeutic intervention for your marriage invites you as couples to openly discuss your concerns or issues within your relationship. When using a specially trained marriage therapist to facilitate the identification and resolution of potential problems of your relationship, your bond becomes stronger. In order to occomplish this effectively, Megan from Northstar Counseling & Therapy will typically employ one or more of the following strategies as:
Open-ended Questions: All initial sessions will start by asking probing questions designed to reveal hidden issues that may be hindering your connection as a couple. This is designed to source the root of your marriages issues.
Active Listening: In these sessions, I create a space where both partners can speak uninterrupted, freely expressing their thoughts without fear of judgment. By summarizing what has been said and posing further questions, I facilitate a constructive dialogue between partners with constructive feedback.
Cooperative Problem Solving: Together we can identify underlying concerns and craft solutions that respect the needs of both partners in a loving way.
In order to accomplish these three basic goals, a range of therapy methods tailored to each couple’s unique needs are used. The most common techniques are the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Experiential Therapy, and Imago Therapy. These methods are centered around honing in your communication skills, deepening emotional connections, and building a strong trust and intimacy foundation. In this we will together incorporate specific exercises and interventions to help you both uncover and address issues. They also help you to develop practical skills that will enhance your relationship in the future. The overall goal being to help you craft a stronger, more fulfilling bond as a couple.
Why The Gottman Method Is So Popular in Marriage Counseling
The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to marriage counseling developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. This method emphasizes building a strong foundation of friendship and intimacy, improving communication and conflict resolution skills, and creating shared meaning in the relationship. The Gottman Method uses specific interventions and exercises to help couples improve their relationship, and is known for its effectiveness in helping couples repair and strengthen their connection. The therapy is typically structured, goal-oriented, and focuses on developing practical skills that couples can use in their daily lives.
The Gottman Method is based on the following pillars:
Building a strong friendship: Couples are encouraged to build a foundation of mutual respect, fondness, and admiration for each other, and to regularly engage in activities that strengthen their friendship.
Enhancing love maps: This involves understanding each other’s internal world, including their thoughts, feelings, and values, and developing a deep knowledge of each other.
Sharing fondness and admiration: Partners are encouraged to express appreciation, affection, and gratitude towards each other, and to focus on positive aspects of the relationship.
Managing conflict: This method focuses heavily on providing tools and techniques for managing conflict in a constructive way, and emphasizes the importance of effective communication, active listening, and compromise.
Building a positive perspective: Couples are encouraged to focus on the positive aspects of their relationship, rather than dwelling on negative experiences or past hurts.
Creating shared meaning: Partners are encouraged to develop shared goals, values, and rituals, and to work towards a sense of shared purpose and meaning in their lives together.
Overall, the Gottman Method is designed to help couples build a strong, healthy, and fulfilling relationship through improving communication, building trust, and enhancing emotional connection.
The Use of Cognitive Behavioral Techniques in Marital Counseling
Cognitive behavioral techniques helps couples recognize their own negative thought patterns and how it affects their behavior. This technique can help couples understand each other’s point of view and modify their responses in order to improve communication. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also used to help couples reframe their thoughts and behaviors in order to better manage their communication. It can help couples recognize their triggers, examine irrational thought patterns and create new positive behaviors. The two main areas of this technique are:
Role Playing
Using this technique allows the couple to practice conversations and different approaches to communication, so they can feel more comfortable talking about difficult topics. The counselor will also provide feedback on how well each partner dealt with the situation.
Conflict resolution and marriage therapy
This is a necessary part of any relationship. The counselor will help the couple identify sources of conflict within the relationship and create strategies for resolving them effectively without escalating arguments or resorting to violence.
Overall, using the cognitive behavioral technique in marriage counseling provides couples with an opportunity to identify any negative patterns that have developed over time and encourages them to practice positive self-talk when communicating with one another.
Emotionally Focused Therapy
This type of therapy focuses on teaching couples how to express, understand, and regulate emotions. The counselor will provide strategies for managing conflict in a healthier way so that both parties can feel heard, respected, and secure within the relationship. Emotionally focused therapy focuses on the feelings and emotions of each partner. This technique helps partners to identify how their emotions are impacting the communication in their relationship. This helps to identify all the triggers that may be causing tension between them.
Through emotionally focused therapy, couples can learn to express their needs in a healthy way. This will also help couples strengthen their connection and foster a secure bond with each other. Focusing on addressing attachment issues and creating positive patterns or behaviors that will lead to more trust, intimacy, and security within the relationship. Northstar Counseling & Therapy will work with you to identify patterns of behavior that are no longer working for your relationship and help build new strategies
Experiential Therapy
This approach focuses on experiential activities to uncover underlying emotions that may be preventing communication and understanding. Couples are invited to explore the relationship through role-playing, art, music and storytelling in order to better understand each other.
The counselor will implement supportive strategies. The therapist will help couples identify patterns of behavior that are not successful for the relationship and assist in building new strategies to bring about change.
Imago Therapy
Imago therapy is a method of marriage counseling which emphasizes understanding each partner’s needs and fostering empathy between partners. When this approach is used, the counselor will help the couple identify, talk through, and address unmet emotional needs. By doing this it create a more fulfilling relationship.
There are three steps to this approach of imago therapy.
- Mirroring: The couple is encouraged to accurately reflect back their partner’s feelings and emotions in order to better understand them and their needs.
- Validation: Partners are invited to validate each other, recognizing each other’s importance and experiences without judgment.
- Expression:. Partners are asked to express and share their feelings, thoughts, and needs in a respectful manner.
Five major benefits of getting counseling for your marriage
Therapy can also help identify and rectify patterns of unhealthy behavior like infidelity or emotional neglect and breach barriers hindering the development of a loving relationship. This non-judgmental approach allows couples to work through underlying issues causing conflict. This is particularly why pre-marriage counseling is beneficial to emerging relationships. Instead of attempting to repair an inadequately built foundation, you can lay a robust and enduring one from the start.
Enhanced Communication: Through marriage therapy, partners learn to express their feelings and needs more effectively, fostering a healthier dialogue.
Deeper Understanding: Therapy equips couples with strategies to better comprehend each other’s emotions and perspectives, promoting mutual respect and tolerance.
Heightened Empathy: Therapy helps couples cultivate deeper empathy, allowing consideration of the partner’s viewpoint when making decisions or resolving conflicts, fostering an environment of mutual respect.
Reframing Conflict: Therapeutic intervention teaches couples constructive problem-solving skills, transforming negative experiences into growth opportunities and addressing issues without escalating tension or anger.
Strengthened Commitment and Trust: Therapy aids couples in building trust by acknowledging each partner’s unique needs and expectations. It also develops effective communication skills leading to a fortified commitment to each other and the relationship.
Making a Commitment to Your Marriage with Counseling
Committing to your marriage through counseling is a significant stride towards constructing a more robust, healthier, and fulfilling bond with your partner. Although seeking professional assistance for relationship challenges can seem intimidating, a licensed therapist’s guidance can furnish you with indispensable insights, tools, and resources to surmount barriers and cultivate a deeper connection with your partner.
By deciding to invest in counseling, you are actively participating in nurturing your relationship, showcasing your readiness to address issues and reinforce your connection with your partner. This dedication demands patience, commitment, and a predisposition to transparency and honesty, both with your therapist and your partner. Under the direction of a proficient and seasoned therapist, you can acquire essential communication skills, conflict-resolution strategies, and emotional regulation techniques that will empower you to tackle challenges and surmount hurdles in your relationship. Ultimately, committing to therapeutic intervention can guide you and your partner towards a more gratifying relationship, rooted in mutual trust, respect, and love.
Take the first step towards a healthier and more fulfilling relationship by contacting us today for a free consultation. Together, we can help you build a stronger and more satisfying partnership.”
