A therapist’s approach to couples counseling is incredibly important because there is so much at stake. It’s often not only the relationship that hangs in the balance, but also both individual’s emotions, self-esteem, and well-being. Who you choose as a couples counselor matters. Their experience, training, and specialty can often be the difference between success and deep frustration.
Traditional Therapy vs. Our Wellness Model
Most generalized therapists perform traditional marriage or couples counseling from a neutral and pathology foundation. Problems are worked on immediately and the goal of this type of therapy is to solve these problems. Unfortunately, 70+ years of tracking results show this approach often leaves the couple feeling overwhelmed and is one of several reasons marriage counseling has a bad and somewhat scary reputation in our communities.
Our team specializes in couples counseling and trains with the leading experts in the relationship and marriage counseling field. Our profession is changing and Well Marriage Center is helping to lead the way. Our therapeutic model is strengths-based because it’s proven to be more effective.
Our counselors are trained to begin your very first assessment with questions that bring your relational strengths to the forefront of therapy. We use and build on these strengths as the foundation for the work we do together.
Ideally, you are willing to strengthen your relationship before working on problems, but when the problems are too severe we work immediately on stopping destructive and toxic behaviors and patterns. Improving and deepening your relationship (attachment, friendship, bond) is the new goal of couples therapy and actually improves your ability to problem solve.
Our “positive analysis” continues to happen into and throughout your improvement. The more you understand the reasons for your improvement, the more likely it is to “stick.” The more likely you are to find long-term success and connection.
We’ve found this approach reduces the time you are in therapy and actually helps you navigate the difficulty more gently and successfully. This approach is especially effective with relationships facing significant difficulty or challenge.
Relationship-Neutral vs. Pro-Relationship
Well Marriage Center holds all relationships as an important personal, professional, and social value. We believe in helping couples save, heal, and restore their bond whenever that is possible. Many assume this is what all therapists believe.
However, because of our professional training, many therapists hold a “neutral” value orientation towards whether a relationship survives or whether the couple splits up. In the past this neutral value has reduced the therapist’s encouragement to stay together and work out issues and has even led to counselors encouraging couples to separate. This is another reason marriage counseling has deservedly gotten a bad reputation.
Again, the field is changing and we are helping to lead the way. Well Marriage is committed to preserving relationships and avoiding separation whenever possible. If you are both willing to put in the work, we’ll be there to help you solve your relationship woes.
In the midst of connection trouble and distress, we’ll support the hope that you can heal and save your relationship. We’ve seen countless couples who are convinced their relationship is too far dead and gone, only to see it be rediscovered and revitalized before their very eyes (and hearts). We’ve seen it happen. We know how to help it happen for you.
