Do You Need Couples Counseling?

Going through the divorce process, partners may not believe they need couples counseling. However, couples counseling can help ease the level of stress and help the couple work through the process. While the end of the marriage can often be a relief to some people, it can also be an extremely emotional and stressful event for others. Even if you are the partner who chooses to leave, you may experience a wide range of emotions and intense feelings that are difficult to handle. Often times these feelings include grief, anger, guilt, shame, anxiety, and fear. If there are children involved, the stress levels within a divorcing family are even higher and all of these emotions tend to be heightened to a greater degree. Counseling may be the solution to help work through these issues.

What is the cause of a divorce?

There are innumerable reasons why marriages end in divorce. Today in the United States, anywhere from between 40 and 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce, per the American Psychological Association. There is often a combination of reasons that lead to the marriage ending. Some of the most common reasons that have been identified as leading to divorce include the following:

• A lack of commitment
• Getting married to the wrong person, or getting married too young
• Infidelity
• Communication issues and conflict
• Inequality in the marriage, particularly when it comes to caring for the children
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Chemical or drug and substance abuse
• Unrealistic expectations about what the marriage should be like, which often include insufficient preparation for the challenges that come with married life
• Financial problems that lead to disagreements about money

Couples counseling may help you to deal with these issues so that you do not need to get divorced.

Dealing with the emotions

If a marriage ends in divorce, the people involved in the divorce are going to have to cope with a variety of mixed emotions. It is often highly recommended that both individuals in the relationship receive divorce counseling in the aftermath of a divorce. By working with a divorce therapist, a person may be able to get an objective and rational perspective. A more rational perspective can help arm individuals with the necessary skills that will help them face the emotional fallout from the divorce. People find that it is extremely helpful to work with a divorce therapist during the divorce itself. Divorce counseling can also benefit other family members caught in the middle of the divorce, such as children.

Divorce counseling for children

The emotional impact that the children face during a divorce is often forgotten in all of the turmoil surrounding the separation. Due to their own feelings, parents may overlook the emotional state of the children. Children of divorcing parents often find themselves confused, feeling guilty, lost, in pain or feeling like they have been abandoned. Even children can benefit from divorce counseling when the parents are going through a divorce. Counseling can help the children effectively deal with their own emotions and feelings. If your family needs help, call us to schedule a counseling appointment.