Contacting Us To Schedule A Session
Many clients when calling into our office ask us what the marriage counseling process is like. After you speak to our office manager, Becky, who will get your information collected, you will receive paperwork via email to fill out. This paperwork allows the therapist to process and prepare for your session either in-person or online.
What To Expect During Marriage Counseling Sessions
When you enter the session the therapist has read your paperwork and will ask you questions to get to know you more. We use the Gottman method which has the initial session conjoint with both individuals in the couple present.
We Utilize Individual and Conjoined Sessions
The second session is one individual, with the third session being the other individual. The fourth and continuous sessions after that would be conjoined again. When you meet your marriage counselor, you’re getting to know each other. Your therapist is asking you questions to get an understanding of the dynamics at home. Your marriage counselor is also seeing how you interact there on the Couch. It’s the therapist’s job to be non-judgmental and open to hearing both perspectives.
Sometimes we have people ask if we can “just tell their husband/wife how wrong they are” and as ideal as that may sound to one person, the normal reaction to that would be for that person to not be open to listening, and either they may not return or they may be checked out during therapy. It is our job to listen and make both partners feel heard and understood, as we seek out the underlying meaning of why certain arguments are repeating themselves. When we do that, the client will be more open to listening to suggestions.
We Guide Conversation With Questions to Explore Your Relationship
We help guide you by asking questions that allow you both to explore and share your world with your partner. It is too easy for each of you to grow apart when there is the monotony of daily life, work, and many times children in the picture. Your focus gets pulled into every direction.
It’s too easy to leave the marriage as the last thing you get to, which means the marriage is getting the rest of you, not the best of you! That’s not fair to you or your relationship. As marriage counselors, we emphasize that concept and encourage prioritization. We also emphasize that to be in therapy, you are putting your marriage first and that’s an incredible task that should be acknowledged.
We Help Identify What Needs to be Worked On
As we get to know you, we’re looking for things to work on, commonly communication, conflict resolution, overcoming external stressors, parenting, setting boundaries with people outside the marriage, etc. We make recommendations that you can practice in session, and then we have you work on the homework at home as well in your natural element. You come back the following week and report on your homework.
We recommend you come weekly for at least 8 sessions before decreasing to a bi-weekly, then every 3 weeks, then eventually monthly consistency. Marriage counseling research supports that there is a significant difference in your marriage by session 8. We notice big changes in our couples after the first session sometimes, however that depends on the couple.
Marriage Counseling Helps You Feel Unstuck
Good results come from two people that know that each of them individually needs to make changes in their behaviors in order to benefit the marriage. Two people that can acknowledge this and apply the actions will change their lives forever.
Our work is collaborative. You are the experts on your lives, we just have some research and suggestions that can help get you to the place you want to be. Being stuck is a hopeless feeling, and we are here to help you guide yourself out of that feeling. You would do this together with you and your partner acting as a team. Come see us at The Marriage Couch. We look forward to working with you!
Start Marriage Counseling in Wellington, FL
Are you stressed about the idea of starting Marriage Counseling? At Marriage Couch we understand how important your relationship is and we offer a safe space to support and guide you and your partner to reconnect. To get started follow these simple steps:
- Schedule a free 15-minute consultation
- Meet with one of our caring Marriage Counselors
- Begin reconnecting with your partner
Other Services Offered at the Marriage Couch
Your relationship is important and our team at The Marriage Couch understands. We want to help you and your partner work on your connection with as much support and guidance as you need. Our services include Marriage Counseling and Couples Therapy. We also offer a 5-day Date Your Spouse Challenge today as a way to test the waters of our therapy style. This 5-day challenge is appropriate for couples of any level, whether you are simply checking in or truly struggling. Check out our Blog and Meet our Team!