Couple Counselling
Couple counselling is a form of interactive therapy between a therapist and, most often, both members of a relationship. The overarching goal of this brand our counselling is to assist the couple in remedying a prevalent issue, or set of issues, together and to tool the couple to adequately address these issues in their future life. The issues dealt with vary as much as the couples themselves, but often addressed are feelings of inadequacy toward one another, underlying anger, empty feelings, coping with arguments the dominate interaction, and more. The therapy is constructed in a way best suited for the couple, most often directly, face-to-face with the therapist. Though, increasingly popular are phone-based or Skype-based means of meeting with the therapist.
Sessions may too vary, depending on why the members of the relationship seek couple counselling. Two primary sessions exist, directed sessions and nondirective. In the former, the therapist or counsellor, allows the couple to mutually discuss the issues at hand, the recommends a course of action for resolution. The latter, however, is targeted directly at allowing the couple to come to resolution with the counsellor serving as a sounding board and offering less direction, but directing the couples discourse in a methodical and positively reinforced manner.
Courses of action are not always the resolution to a couple counselling session. Often times, the session itself or the series of sessions, serves as a safe environment to voice relationship concerns, frustrations, fears or emotions that have built inside the couple over a course of time. The goal is surely resolution of issues, but these things come in a variety of packages. Most interestingly, surveys over recent years have found that greater than 70% of couples entering into couple counselling, have reported greater than significant changes in their dealings, discourses, and relationships intercourse.
Developing a comfort level is an important decision for those considering entering into couple counselling. Feeling safe, communicating freely and trusting your counsellor is vitally important when deciding where to hash out the prevailing issues. Effectiveness and a track record of successful counselling are critically important. But, what works for some does not work for all. What always works, and what to look for, is comfort in the setting, the approachability of the counsellor him/herself, confidentiality and the therapists knowledge of his/her boundaries. It is important to set those priorities up front with the counsellor, and so doing, the couple creates an atmosphere of positive change from the onset.
