Relationships

Sometimes conflict happens in relationships but there are ways to deal with it so it doesn’t affect you individually or as a couple.

In fact, relationships can become stronger if both partners can talk about the issues as part of their relationship. Differences can usually be resolved with through respectful and clear communication. But if emotions are running high this can be harder to do and we may need some help to move through it.

Relationship counselling or couples therapy works with the differences in views and feelings between partners and attempts to bring solutions to the issues that come up. Popular types of therapy include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT).

In CBT the counsellor aims to increase each person’s awareness about the unspoken assumptions or interaction styles between the couple. One of the main goals is to look at communication problems such as jumping to conclusions, not being open to the other’s point of view or not letting go of the past.

Relationship counselling also helps each person uncover negative beliefs or habits from the past that cause relationship distress. It also focuses on acceptance and change as positive goals for couples in therapy. Research on what makes successful counselling has found that couples who succeed in therapy need to be open to making changes and show greater emotional acceptance of the other.

Counselling also focuses on improving relationships by increasing positive exchanges and decreasing the frequency of negative or punishing interactions. This approach also sees that a person’s history can affect their interactions and that by improving communication about the past and the present the couples can learn to let go and move on in a healthy way in their relationship.

In this way, couples counselling can greatly help couples to change old destructive communication patterns and rebuild connection.

At Perth Psychologists our counsellors are specifically trained in couples counselling. They are able to support you through the challenging times that all relationships experience so that you are able to work through your issues in a clear and open way.

To make an appointment or inquiry, please call 1300 70 50 55 or fill in your details for us to contact you.