MYTH Vs FACT: When Should Marital Couples Seek Counselling

Myth About Seeking Counselling For Couples

A common belief is that counselling is necessary only when a relationship is on the verge of breaking or when a divorce seems imminent for the married couple. It is also believed that only when the couple have severe problems, they should seek a counsellor’s help. It is viewed as a last resort a couple take before giving up on their relationship and when they want to know the answer to whether they should stay or break free from the relationship.

Fact : Counselling can help at any point in a relationship

Counselling can be highly beneficial for couples with mild and moderate issues also. It also helps in cases where the partners are happy with each other but wish to know more about each other and enhance the quality of relationship they share. It helps in building a stronger and well functioning couple system by bringing in positive modifications wherever necessary. It can help increase marital satisfaction and can guide the couple to make the best decisions for their relationship.

A good counsellor does not make decisions for the couple but provides an environment of support and exploration for the couple to assess all the available options and choose the best one for their relationship. Counselling can help get a better insight into the expectations each partner has and then see how realistic and workable these are. If not, the counsellor can help to set more realistic relationship goals and expectations in order to make the relationship flourish in harmony. A counsellor brings in a third person perspective (an objective perspective) into the relationship and helps the couple see the situation from a bias free point of view and thus find better ways to resolve their issues.

Remember: Sometimes when things seem to fall apart, they might actually be falling into place, if you are willing to put in efforts to do so, and there is no harm in seeking help.