What is Marriage Counseling?
The goal of marriage counseling is to address “troubled” marriages. More specifically, marriage and family therapists are relationship experts, who can teach you how to effectively communicate with your spouse. They also can teach you and your spouse how to strengthen your conflict resolution skills so small disagreements don’t blow up into catastrophic arguments.
Ultimately, the main goal of marriage counselors is to help you identify, address, work through, and resolve a variety of issues, such as infidelity, addiction, loss of intimacy, and/or parenting challenges. Keep in mind that even if your original intention was to get married and stay married forever, sometimes divorce happens.
The good news, however, is that if this happens, there are pre- and post-divorce counseling strategies that can help you successfully navigate this process.
What is Pre-Divorce Counseling?
A divorce counselor can teach you and your partner how to effectively communicate and civilly behave, while you try to figure out the emotional, physical, and financial legalities that often accompany a divorce. This counselor can also help you and your partner decide if you really want or need a divorce. In other words, they can help you decide if your marriage can actually be saved.
Keep in mind that if children are involved, it is imperative that you keep things classy. In other words, it is important that your children experience a civil and healthy divorce – one without blame, name-calling, or disrespect. The best way to minimize your children’s trauma and safeguard their well-being is by being civil towards your ex and vice versa.
Pre-divorce counselors are beneficial because they can help you address any divorce-related parenting issues while giving you tips on how to tell your children about your impending divorce, in a way that causes them the least amount of trauma and emotional pain.
Pre-divorce counseling can also help you identify and address any conflicting and/or confusing divorce-related emotions. Lastly, this form of counseling can teach you healthy coping strategies that you can apply during challenging and stressful experiences.
How Can a Divorce Counselor Help?
Well, a divorce counselor can guide you through this painful and uncertain time, while providing you with the tools you need to move on in a positive and healthy way. In addition, he/she can teach you how to resume a fulfilling post-divorce life and minimize the impact on your children. He/she can also help you better understand why your relationship failed, so you don’t repeat your mistakes.
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