Important Aspects On Couples Counseling Chicago Residents Should Understand

By Jason Ellis


Every relationship is characterized by highs and lows. Married couples have to handle problems of varying complexity from time to time and depending on the nature of the problem, an agreement or a disagreement may be the end result. Occasional disagreements are not abnormal but if frequent and emotive, there may be a need for therapy. Before registering for couples counseling Chicago residents should know a number of things.

The decision to undergo therapy is not an easy one to make. For most people, couples counseling is considered as a last resort when all other mediation efforts have been unsuccessful. It is not advisable to wait until the situation deteriorates for the parties to seek help from a professional. As a matter of fact, even partners that are enjoying a fairly stable relationship may need to make an occasional visit to the therapist.

After making the decision, the next thing is to look for the therapist. You can get recommendations from friends, relatives, primary doctor or from information available on the internet. In the absence of a therapist, there are many other health professionals who may of assistance. These include general practitioners, psychiatrists, nurses and psychologists among others. Religious leaders may also help with some of the cases.

The length of therapy varies depending on the severity of the problem. In general there are short term therapies and long term therapies. Short term therapies have a duration of between one and three sessions (focused therapy is a sub-type that lasts a lot shorter) while the long term therapies are anything between 12 and 24 sessions. The average time taken during a single session is 30 to 45 minutes.

One of the most important things that the partners have to do for this therapy to be effective is to recognize that different people subscribe to different beliefs. These are shaped by the environment in which they have been brought up. For this reason, it is not always possible to have them agree on all issues all the time; differences are bound to arise. During the therapy, the different value systems are brought to the table and partners learn how to deal with each other.

This therapy helps the partners to reflect on their relationship. Each of them examines the impact of their actions on the relationship. Many of the problems that couples have to handle take a period of time to develop. Understating how each of the problems came about is the first step towards solving them. The partners are taught how to effectively communicate with each other to formulate solutions.

The therapist will not tell couple what to do to make things work. Their main role is to facilitate the process of communication between the two. Although they may offer their personal opinion, the ultimate solution will have to come from the couple. The partners should be free to open up since therapist is not there to pass judgment. You may be advised to do some assignments at home and bring feedback in subsequent sessions.

There are many causes of conflicts in marital relationships. They include, among others, extramarital affairs, lack of trust, failure to meet assigned responsibilities, family conflicts, differences in parenting styles and so on. In couples counselling, the partners get a chance to learn more about their differences and how best they can negotiate to bridge them. Communication is emphasized as an important problem solving tool.




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