Couples Counseling

Every relationship has ups and downs, and when you and your significant other are miscommunicating, you may benefit from couples counseling. Sonora Foster at the Manasquan Counseling Center in Manasquan, New Jersey provides couples counseling services for all types of couples who want to improve their communication skills and work on their relationship together. Call or schedule an appointment online today.

Couples Counseling Q & A

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What is couples counseling?

There's a common misconception that couples only need couples counseling when their relationship is in crisis. However, couple therapy is a specific type of psychotherapy that helps couples improve their communication skills, learn to recognize and resolve conflicts, and build healthy, loving relationships.

Couples counseling is usually short-term, following a specific treatment plan to address your relationship's needs and weaknesses.

Who should have couples counseling?

Couples therapy is suitable for all types of intimate relationships, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. You may have couples counseling to strengthen your relationship and communication skills, or you may have a specific problem or issue that you need help to resolve such as:

• Sexual difficulties
• Conflicts about child-rearing or blended families
• Infidelity
• Substance abuse
• Anger management

Couples counseling can help deepen your understanding of each other and learn to identify and respect each other's history and boundaries.

What are the benefits of couple counseling?

Couples counseling can strengthen your relationship and improve the way you and your partner communicate. You learn to be more objective in your relationship and aware of how you and your partner can be more supportive and kinder to each other.

You learn to modify dysfunctional behavior and decrease emotional avoidance. Often learned behaviors or fears prevent you from being your best self in a relationship, and couples counseling can help you and your partner feel confident and committed to your future together.

What should I expect during couple counseling?

Both you and your partner attend couples counseling sessions together. Your counselor guides conversation around what's brought you to counseling and what you hope to get out of your sessions. Then, you work together to agree on a treatment plan to resolve issues and strengthen your relationship.

Your counselor may ask questions to help you identify underlying issues that could be feeding into your emotions and responses to your partner, blurring communication, and contributing to your relationship problems.

Your counselor also moderates your conversation, allowing you both to explore and express your feelings, but keeping the discussion focused on the task at hand. You and your partner may also be given "homework" to practice communication techniques between your sessions.

If you're interested in strengthening your relationship or resolving a specific conflict in your relationship, call me today.