Falling in love can happen as quick as lightning but the real challenge for couples is how to rekindle the romance and passion that fluctuates over time, and sow seeds of love, trust and commitment that are the backbone of a healthy and standing relationship. Choosing to be in a romantic relationship can sometimes make you feel that you are on the top of the world. Other times, though you may feel down in the mouth and desperate.
Relationship conflicts are unavoidable and sometimes healthy as long as they are handled effectively and productively. However, when problems seem to get out of control and normal arguments build in verbal or physical fights, and when all efforts to resolve these difficulties seem to be in vain, couples counselling might be an option worth considering.
Couples therapists are specialists who are professionally trained to help partners recognise and resolve different issues and conflicts that threaten the permanence of their relationship. Mental health issues are one of the challenges that the majority of couples may struggle with nowadays.
Building a healthy and loving relationship with your partner can protect you from developing mental health problems. Or, it can be a major support to those in treatment for a mental illness. Love is a powerful and supportive emotion, and it’s true it might not cure serious psychological pathologies, but it alleviates the intensity of pain, increases feelings of happiness and reduces stress and anxiety.
According to recent research, a happy and stable relationship is found to be linked with enhanced mental health wellbeing. Being intimately involved in a nourishing relationship improves self-worth and feelings of being valued, which in turn boosts emotional stability or aids treatment.
An effective couples therapy is a form of psychotherapy, which is designed to resolve new conflicts, as well as deep-rooted, long-standing ones. There is a range of different approaches to couples counselling. One of the most important approaches is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is a was developed by Dr. Sue Johnson from the University of Ottawa. EFT emphasizes that working with emotions is central to doing therapy with couples. Emotionally Focused Therapists (EFTs) help couples restructure their patterns of interacting, increase emotional intimacy and strengthen their bonds of connection.
A skilled therapist will create space for both to express their innermost thoughts on the dynamics of their relationship and will help couples to work on:
- Improving communication skills between two people
- Discovering the root causes of major points of conflicts
- Creating better understanding
- Encouraging better acceptance of one another
- Providing the opportunity to increase shared support
- Restoring emotional and physical intimacy
- Decreasing emotional detachment or avoidance
- Restoring emotional strength and building relationship resilience
- Restoring lost trust between a couple
- Providing a secure environment and opportunity to heal
Life is most satisfying when we live in harmonious and nourishing relationships . When we enter into a committed relationship, we believe we found our soul mate, lover and long life friend. Difficulties, however, might strike at any moment, and shaken the harmony and balance that was once built on solid grounds. Resolving relational problems, especially those that are related to emotional and psychological instability, might be challenging and sometimes hard. Consulting a professional expert is the wisest decision to make.
If you love and appreciate your partner, find solutions, seek help and consult those who will help you protect and nourish your love and love happily ever after.