How to Prepare for Your First Marriage Counseling Session
Marriage counseling has helped countless couples grow closer by learning to develop healthier patterns of interaction. Before your first session, it can help to prepare in a few ways. Here are some things you can do to ensure a more productive experience for you and your partner.
Avoid causing further damage. If you've made the choice to try marriage counseling, you are probably experiencing some level of conflict. In the days or weeks leading up to your first counseling session, it's best to stop or at least minimize any unhealthy patterns of interaction that promote distress in the relationship. Even if you harbor feelings of resentment or don't feel especially close, try to bring your best self to every interaction. Instead of yelling, communicate in low, respectful tones. If you've been sleeping in different rooms, respect boundaries and avoid any provocative behavior.
Look inward. One of the main goals of marriage counseling is to increase your knowledge about your partner, yourself and the way you interact. This will help you break ineffective or damaging patterns and develop new ones that promote closeness and understanding. You can aid this process by asking yourself the following questions before your appointment:
- What kind of partner do I aspire to be?
- What kind of life and relationship do I hope to create?
- What are the individual obstacles that prevent this from happening?
Obviously, you and your partner will need to work together to develop healthy constructive patterns of interaction. By taking a few moments to consider your part in the process, however, you can enhance your chances of success. Think about your goals as an individual and couple, and write down all the things that prevent you from developing healthy, respectful patterns of interaction.
Focus on self-care. You can't bring your best self to your counseling session if you are struggling physically and mentally. If you don't get enough sleep, you will have a more difficult time managing your emotions. If you don't get proper nutrition, you may not have the strength to approach the situation with a clear, energetic mind. In the time before marriage counseling begins, eat fresh, healthy foods, get some exercise and prioritize sleep. You may realize it's been a while since you were focused on caring for yourself.
Come As You Are
While it can be helpful to prepare for your first marriage counseling session, it's not necessary. An experienced therapist can help you and your partner develop an action plan that will help you open healthy lines of communication and build a stronger relationship.
Foundations Counseling offers compassionate therapy for married and unmarried couples in Loveland, Windsor and Fort Collins, Colorado. Our caring therapists can show you how to turn disagreements into constructive information that can help you and your partner grow. Whether you need help with intimacy, communication, attachment issues, sex therapy, divorce recovery, affair recovery or just want to get closer; our therapists can help. Contact us today!
