We have helped a lot of people over the years by providing relationship counseling and one question that we have heard many times is, how soon is too soon for counseling? This is a question that many people have while dating and some even have after marriage.
There seems to be this notion that counseling is only for people that have been in a relationship for a long time. Because of that, some people do not seek counseling who could truly benefit from doing so. We have found that there really is no right time to visit a therapist.
Instead, the only question a person or couple should answer is, do we need help. Any individual or couple that is struggling with aspects of life for their relationship can benefit from speaking with a counselor and should do so, regardless of how new or old the relationship is.
Be open to help and open to change
The thing to keep in mind is that for any relationship counseling to be effective, participants need to be open. It is important to be open to the possibility of growth, learning something new and for change. Keep in mind that if everything were working perfectly, there would be no challenges and there would be no need for help.
The very fact that things can use improvement makes it important to have an openness regarding the ways that they can be improved. Sometimes, this means visiting a therapist to learn new or additional skills or ways of communicating with one another.
Essentially, this is one of the main areas that counseling helps with – communication. When looked at from that perspective, it is difficult to think of any relationship that could not benefit from visiting a therapist since nearly everyone gains by improving their communication with those that they love.
Relationship counseling for dating couples
Some couples are hesitant to visit a therapist if they are just dating, feeling that the relationship may be too new and are uncertain of whether or not this is going to lead to marriage. It is understandable to hesitate with so much uncertainty. However, visiting a therapist at this juncture can actually help to add clarity.
It is through these sessions, learning to better communicate and to work through issues that many couples find they are ready to take their relationship to the next level. Others come to a mutual understanding that this is truly not the relationship they want to spend the rest of their life in. In both cases, those revelations are affirming and can positively impact the rest of a person’s life. Therefore, even in a relationship’s early stage, visiting a therapist can be beneficial.
This is a safe place
We create an environment where our patients can feel safe, comfortable, relaxed and open. Using humor and respect, we help our patients to live a better life, one that they are more satisfied by. This includes creating the opportunity for deeper and richer relationships. To learn more, we encourage calling our clinic and scheduling an appointment.