6 Signs You May Need Marriage Counseling
There is a public stigma surrounding marriage counseling in Orlando. Be it guilt or shame that a spouse feels because they assume they should figure relationship issues out on their own, most married couples find it hard to accept that therapy can be helpful. But unfortunately, most spouses eventually realize that they need the help of a counselor. However, it can often be overdue to seek the support they need by then. Our experts offer the following signs to look for that are a significant indication that you and your spouse should try marriage therapy.
Your relationship lacks intimacy.
A lack of intimacy due to declining interest by one or both spouses is one of the first signs that your romantic relationship is deteriorating. It is not uncommon for a couple's sex life to wind down after being married for an extended period. However, if there are significant changes in the frequency of intimacy in your relationship, there might be a problem. If sex becomes cold and robotic or has not happened for an extended period, marriage counseling or sex therapy is a great option.
Fear of communicating with one another.
When disagreements get blown out of proportion, you can build up fear about particular topics leading spouses to avoid difficult conversations altogether. This fear can be something as small as annoying habits that will eventually lead to a communication breakdown. If a spouse is scared to bring up certain issues, a licensed therapist can help during marriage counseling sessions to steer healthy conversations and clear up any misunderstandings.
Built-up resentment.
Disagreements in marriage happen periodically, but if you discover that you are exceedingly resentful towards your spouse, then you will likely need assistance in addressing your underlying issues. Marriage therapy professionals often find that when spouses fail to resolve previous disagreements and past hurts, all future conversations are spoiled by feelings of negativity. In many cases, your tone towards your spouse can elicit insecurities, judgment, shame, and guilt, which are not well received and lead to further disagreements.
Loss of trust.
Healthy relationships begin with trust, but it is challenging to earn and easy to lose. Spouses that have put problems on the back burner are likely to experience a lack of trust in the future. They may begin to see their partner as their enemy and feel like they are on different sides. Spouses should be on the same team and seek emotional support from one another rather than outside of their relationship with family members, co-workers, and friends. When one spouse begins to rely on support outside of their partner, it is an indication that they should seek marriage counseling.
Keeping secrets from one another.
As a person, you have individual privacy rights. However, as a married couple, if you are hiding secrets from one another, this can be disastrous for your relationship. For example, maintaining undisclosed financial resources, secret friendships, or hiding where you spend your time are vast breaches of trust in a marital relationship. Likewise, something is off when a spouse discloses bits and pieces of their life but fails to keep all of their life open to their spouse.
Lying about finances.
Marriages end in divorce mainly because of issues with money management within the household and finances. When spouses disagree about their funds, they will soon have significant arguments about money. In addition, lying about financial information like hidden receipts, credit card statements, or purchases will lead to problems trusting one another. Seek professional advice through marriage counseling in Orlando when this is the case to address money disagreements quickly.
These are just a few of the signs your relationship may benefit from marriage therapy. Contact us today for more information.
