Couples in Crisis: What to Do When You Can’t Even Begin to Describe What’s Wrong
There’s no way around it. Relationships are hard, and there are so many things that happen along the way that interferes with the love you once shared. Couples in crisis often come to counseling completely confused about what has happened in their relationship. After all, how can you fix something when you don’t know where you went wrong? Fortunately, it is possible to identify the challenges in your relationship so that you can begin to renew the bonds you share with your partner.
Name Your Emotions
Over the course of a relationship, it is common for personalities and reactions to change. Often, this is due to a series of unresolved events that cause one or both people in the relationship to shut down. Resentment, anger, apathy and even jealousy can all creep into a relationship and slowly chip away at your bond. Identifying these emotions is the first step toward recognizing the behavior patterns that affect your relationship.
Acknowledge Your Role
Do you turn on the television to escape your partner’s nagging, or maybe you continuously work late so that you do not have to face being turned down at bedtime? Escaping is a common way couple try to cope with problems in their relationship, yet refusing to work through issues just allows them to fester. We often discover that many problems couples still struggle with have been going on for years, and acknowledging your part in allowing issues to continue is important for learning how to take action.
Learn to Communicate
Almost every issue in a relationship comes down to a breakdown in communication. This is because truly listening and responding to each other takes courage and a specific technique. With professional counseling, it is possible to learn effective communication strategies that will help you discover the best ways to change your relationship so that both you and your partner are happy.
Knowing that your relationship is in trouble but not being able to pinpoint why is a sure sign that you are heading toward a crisis. Contact us today to begin getting to the bottom of your relationship distress so you can revive the love you know is still there.