Does Marriage Therapy Counseling Work?

• A spouse admits to being unfaithful.
• After twenty years together, the “spark” is gone from the relationship between a husband and a wife.
• Those occasional little disagreements have turned into daily shouting matches, with name calling and accusations hurled back and forth.
• One of you is very strict with the children, the other – very lenient.
• Your husband thinks you’ve let yourself go, and you have become unattractive to him.
• Your husband has developed a beer belly, and spends all his time in front of the TV watching sports and snacking, and you find yourself dreaming of meeting a young, good looking man who will attend to your every desire.
• Your sex drive and sex life is non-existent.
• He can’t tolerate your parents, and you can’t stand his.

The list goes on and on, but one thing all these problems have in common is their indication that something is wrong or not working in a marriage. Communication breaks down, and a once close couple now live as roommates, or even strangers randomly tossed together in the same house. Can these relationships be healed? Is the desire to heal a marriage present – in both husband and wife? The answer to the first question is “yes” – especially if the answer to the second question is affirmative. One thing is for sure – no couple should ever give up on their marriage.

For spouses whose marriages are falling or drifting apart, or have been damaged due to infidelity, alcohol and/or drug abuse, or some other reason, there are ways to rekindle a relationship, and work together as a couple, now and in the future. In order to accomplish this, for many couples that means it’s time to seek marriage counseling, or some form of marriage therapy.

Obviously, some of the problems just mentioned are worse than others. Yet there really is no scale for a marriage that needs help. Seeking the assistance of a state certified and experienced marriage counselor can work wonders on such couples.

Specialists in marriage counseling will help the couple discuss their problems and gradually come to terms with how they can work together to improve their marriage. In addition, therapy can be provided for those dealing with addiction problems, bereavement, anxiety, behavioural and bi-polar disorders, and other similar problems. This is important because problems in a marriage can stem from some other issue. If a marriage is failing due to one spouse’s alcoholism, working on the marriage together, plus the opportunity to benefit from therapy for alcoholism, can greatly enhance a couple’s chances of healing their relationship.

Marriage counseling is not limited to those who have been married for a long time; it works for the newlyweds as well as those celebrating a fiftieth wedding anniversary. There is no shame in seeking marriage counseling, either. In fact, quite the opposite. Separation and divorce can be difficult for a couple, even more so if there are children involved. Most couples get married because they fall in love and wish to spend the rest of their lives together. One way to make that wish come true is through marriage counseling when a marriage isn’t turning out the way both hoped it would. But remember, your love for each other was there, and so, it can be rekindled. You just need some extra help at doing this. Marriage counseling has resolved matters for many couples, and it can help you too.