Relationship Counseling Bethesda MD

Our relationship counseling in Maryland can help partners struggling with any aspect of their relationship. The clinicians at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates have worked extensively with people in all different types of couple relationships and couples at all different stages. In our experience, it’s a type of therapy that is most effective when both partners participate willingly, fully, and enthusiastically.

For whom is relationship counseling appropriate?

Dating couples
Couples contemplating or planning for marriage
Same-sex couples
Married couples
Separated or divorcing couples

What issues might they need to address?

Improving communication or developing non-abusive forms of communication
Strengthening trust
Increasing intimacy
Preparing for cohabitation or marriage
Moving past an affair or other transgressions
Deciding whether to continue a relationship
Parenting skills
Learning to Listen to Your Partner

During relationship counseling, it is common to include some individual sessions with each partner, so each may focus on their own processes and needs within the couple relationship. However, there may be times when one or both partners may wish to pursue individual therapy to work on personal issues unrelated to the partner relationship. In this case, our clinicians would provide you with a referral to an individual therapist while we continue relationship counseling.

Please schedule an appointment online for relationship counseling with one of our clinicians or call 240-752-7650.

Improve Your Relationship with Couples Therapy

Relationship counseling Bethesda MD couples rely on may be the right step to take for strengthening your relationship. When people are in a relationship with one another, it’s critical they enjoy each other and can communicate effectively. Couples therapy is more common than many may realize, and engaging in couples therapy can offer several benefits. Recognizing the signs that communication may be a problem in the relationship is a start to addressing the issue. Working with a therapist like those at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates may help develop healthy communication habits and improve upon your relationship.

Benefits of Couples Therapy

The thought of seeking out a therapist to listen to the innermost issues in your relationship can feel nerve-wracking. However, you can be assured that your therapist will provide an impartial, balanced, and non-judgemental approach when discussing the problems coming up in your relationship. Your therapist will work to provide you and your partner with a comfortable space so that the two of you can experience the number of benefits that couples therapy can provide, including:

Improve your own personal awareness
Deepen your communication and improve intimacy
Resolve problems within the relationship
Help to resolve conflict healthily
Discuss issues that may be unresolved
Have a better understanding of your partner

Relationship counseling available in Bethesda, MD, can help couples to address their issues, find common ground, and feel heard by one another. A therapist will encourage couples to share their thoughts, feel heard, and build their relationship. Relationships can be challenging and involve a significant amount of work, but putting the time in can be all worth it in the long run.

Signs of Communications Issues

Many may not realize that communication issues can be a severe barrier to a healthy and happy relationship. In some cases, couples may not even be aware of the ways they may be communicating in an unhealthy way. Some signs of communication problems couples often experience include:

Being unable to compromise
Making assumptions
Having the same argument
Failing to communicate altogether
Being defensive
Not resolving arguments
Not listening to the other person

Your therapist can work with you to carefully identify how your communication style has impacted you and help one another understand each other. With the help of a professional, they can help explore honest communication to strengthen your relationship.

Healthy Habits of Communication

For a relationship to endure healthily and happily, effective communication will be critical. Having the ability to hear one another and communicate honestly will strengthen a relationship and assist with managing conflict. Poor communication habits can be detrimental to any relationship, no matter how deep your love for one another is. Healthy habits of communication that all couples should consider include:

Being vulnerable with each other
Being non-judgemental
Knowing that it’s not about “winning”
Validate each other
Making the time for each other
Be respectful

The Goals of Couples Therapy

When you head into a session for relationship counseling in Bethesda, MD, each individual will likely have different goals. One person might want to work toward better communication. Another might want to figure out how to deal patiently with each other’s idiosyncrasies. One individual might have trouble listening without judgment, while his or her spouse might have a hard time expressing feelings. It’s different for every individual and every couple, though there are some core goals that should be sought after during your sessions for relationship counseling in Bethesda, MD.

Deepening Knowledge

They say knowledge is power, and that cannot be more true than when you learn about your partner in a non-threatening setting. The goal of couples therapy is not to just give you knowledge about the other person, but to help you understand yourself as well. It’s also important to gain an understanding about your particular relationship and the unique issues you face as a couple.

Identifying Fears

Everyone has fears, though not everyone is able to express them. It’s important to identify what your fears are and what your partner’s fears are. Those are the issues that must be worked on so you both feel safe in your relationship. For example, if there is a history of infidelity, a wife might be frightened about it happening again when she finds out her husband went to lunch with a work associate. When the husband understands that fear, they can work toward a common-ground solution to help the wife overcome those fears.

Talking Together

Many couples simply do not know how to talk together. They may talk about the weather or chat about the kids, but when it comes to the hard stuff, they don’t know how to have a productive conversation. Emotions might get in the way or one partner might feel intimidated by the other, and nothing gets accomplished. During relationship counseling in Bethesda, MD, they can be coached on how to handle comments from each other, especially if they’re speaking about something they feel very differently about.

Understanding Love

Everyone feels love differently, and those ways each other feel love need to be identified and understood. For example, a wife might feel loved when her husband comes home from work and does the dishes for her. That husband might feel loved when his wife gives him a big, long hug. On the flip side, the husband may not care if the dishes get done, and the wife may not get the same satisfaction out of a hug. That is why the way each partner feels love needs to be identified and understood.

Communication issues, infidelity, and trust issues are just a few reasons couples consider seeing a couples counselor offered at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates. We offer prospective clients a wide range of clinicians with experience to assist you in enriching your life, focusing on your relationship, and listening to your needs in a safe and comfortable space. To get started or learn more about relationship counseling offered in Bethesda, Maryland, contact our office to schedule an appointment.