Couples Therapy Bethesda MD
As a counselor for couples therapy in Bethesda, MD at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates understands, sometimes one partner may be ready for counseling while the other is quite resistant. People tend to have many feelings about couples counseling, and may be initially unwilling to admit that it can provide the answers they are looking for. In most cases, this resistance stems from fear about the process.
Perhaps your partner is worried about being judged or blamed, especially if they have been imperfect in the past. But rest assured, MD couples therapy in Bethesda is a non-judgemental space where a therapist provides a comfortable space for both partners to open up about thoughts, feelings, and struggles.
Here we have provided tips for how to gently motivate and convince your partner that couples counseling can be a great thing:
Share Statistics on Proven Benefits
It can be difficult to convince a partner to attend couples counseling. While attending therapy as an individual can be beneficial too, it really requires both partners being completely dedicated to the process in order for the benefits of therapy to be felt. If your significant other is nervous to attend counseling, particularly out of fear that it’ll make things worse between you two, feel free to share these statistics:
- Couples who attend counseling together before getting married on average have a 30 percent increase in success rate, compared to those who don’t
- Almost half of every married couple in today’s society has attended couples counseling, and even before they have officially tied the knot
- While attending couples counseling doesn’t guarantee they’ll stay together, most people say they leave feeling satisfied with their sessions
Approach Your Partner Without Blaming
One of the biggest concerns many partners have about therapy, is that it will turn into a big blaming session. It can help to approach your partner about the topic of Maryland couples therapy in a way that is gentle and doesn’t involve any blaming. Using threats of divorce if they won’t attend couples counseling is likely to not work, as it only continues to divide you two and intensify issues.
A therapist at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates may suggest talking about the pros in your relationship, and how therapy could improve those wonderful aspects even further. Avoid hurtful words, getting angry, or the temptation to point fingers.
It is imperative that your approach isn’t damaging to your relationship. You want to talk about therapy in a way that makes you both feel supported and lifted up, versus worn down. Stay calm, listen to your partner’s feelings, try to address them with facts and what you know about therapy. If your spouse has questions that they want answered by an actual therapist, then we are happy to take their call about couples therapy in Bethesda, Maryland.
If you want to book a couple’s counseling appointment, then we encourage you to reach out to us right away as slots can fill quickly. A therapist at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates hopes to hear from you very soon about attending your first session for couples therapy in Bethesda.