Relationships are an important part of life and personal identity, as we are both hurt and healed through them. In this way, they can exert powerful influence over how we see and experience ourselves.
The ability to maintain an intimate relationship while also differentiating from the way others view and treat us, is essential not only for our own growth and wellbeing, but for the health and fulfillment of our relationships. Often times a couple will begin a conversation, begin disagreeing and two hours later find themselves deeply involved in a very painful conflict that has nothing to do with the original disagreement.
Anecdotally, 83% of the people in the US are not raised in families that knew how to communicate in a way that encourages love, which leads to intimacy. Marriage and family therapy can be a powerful experience for learning how to love one another and to build a foundation of intimacy. Whether your marriage is struggling or not, marriage counseling can be an awesome investment into your future.
Research shows the best outcomes in counseling happen when the therapist and client have chosen each other. This is usually based on shared values. Inviting the right therapist into your relationship can provide the needed support, insight and skill for growth and for returning to a place of love and balance, again.