The clinicians at Lindsey Hopkins & Associates offer marriage counseling in Rockville MD. All of our therapists are licensed in Couple and Family Therapy.
You may have questions about marriage counseling, which we will be happy to answer. You may also have questions for your spouse about your relationship goals or other concerns. Rockville MD marriage counseling works best when partners are open and as communicative as possible.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to clarify these issues before beginning therapy. This can offer a clearer path to follow and provide a greater sense of accomplishment when you achieve your individual and relationship goals.
Defining Issues with Your Spouse Prior to Marriage Counseling
Very often, one individual in a marriage is more willing than the other to seek marriage counseling. Even after you both decide to explore this option, before or during your first counseling session it might be advantageous to clarify certain issues.
If either of you have questions or concerns, write them down. If you can discuss them before meeting with the therapist, it may be beneficial. During your first counseling session, you may wish to share them with your therapist. Here are some example questions:
- What are our primary concerns or issues? Very often, what matters most to one person is different for another person. Discuss what each of you considers to be the primary issues that need to be resolved for a healthier relationship. During marriage counseling Rockville MD couples may be asked:
- What are the issues for each of you?
- Prioritize each list in order of most important to lesser importance.
- Suggest a solution for each item on the list.
- Keep list as short and concise as possible. Keywords are fine as you can elaborate more during your marriage counseling sessions.
- Should we stay together? Marriage counseling in Rockville MD can only do so much good if one person is committed to leaving the marriage more than staying in it. If divorce is the goal for either of you, it’s best to be upfront and honest about it. Simply talking about it does not make it a decision. If both people are not committed to the marriage, it’s unlikely to be a happy, healthy union. Divorce may seem like the best option on the surface, but talking about it can open the door to resolving the issues that led to this point in the relationship.
- What do I do or not do, that causes you the most unhappiness in this marriage? This can be a very scary question and it’s important to set boundaries beforehand. To feel safe in sharing and hearing this information, it’s critical that the words are conveyed without hostility, anger, or defensiveness. This may be a question that one or both of you is more comfortable asking during marriage counseling in Rockville MD.
- Can you trust me? The ability to trust your partner is one of the most important things in a relationship. If you can’t trust your spouse, then who can you trust? Unfortunately, it’s common for trust issues to develop in relationships. Marriage counseling in Rockville MD can work on changing that.
Call Lindsey Hopkins & Associates today if you’re interested in marriage counseling in Rockville MD.