Couples therapy is a form of psychotherapy applicable to both married partners and non-married partners. The duration of therapy depends on the issues being addressed.
Couples face a number of problems in their relationship. It may concern sex, intimacy, communication issues, parenting, anger, or infidelity. If you are willing to address your relationship problems, then you are ready for couples therapy. It is the therapist’s responsibility to set the environment for confidential dialogue, which in turn will enable the couple to hear each other out, and learn effective communication strategies. The exchange will also enable the individual to hear what they are ‘actually saying’. The counsellor can also act as a ‘professional mirror’ that shows the couple their problems and how these can be addressed.
Insight’s Approach to Edmonton Couples Counselling
Therapy methods are based on several core principles. It is crucial that the couples acknowledge their respect for one another. Both partners also need to be able to show and feel empathy for one another, as well as tact and accountability.
Couples therapy is done through several methods, such as Gottman therapy, Schnarch based couples therapy, object relations couple therapy, behavioral marital therapy, integrative behavioral therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and systemic couples therapy.
Behavioral marital therapy focuses on creating more positive communication in the couple. Negative words, dialogue, and actions have lesser frequency. Integrative behavioral therapy is similar, but focuses more on fixing the communication and behavior exchange between the pair. It also addresses the couples’ ability to solve problems. Emotionally focused therapy helps the couple communicate emotions of stress. This allows the pair to express what they would otherwise keep in, letting each member acknowledge unspoken emotional needs.
Systemic couples therapy focuses on observing the issues ‘between’ partners and helping each partner recognize their role in maintaining problematic interactional patterns in the relationship. It may also involve exploring patterns within their nuclear families and how those experiences may be influencing their behaviour in their marital relationship.
