Dealing with life’s many peaks and valleys can wear on a relationship, even that ones that appear to be indestructible. Even after years of smooth sailing, communication can break down and anger and frustration can take over. When such negative patterns take hold, people feel hurt and confused as to why things have suddenly gone sour. If communication isn’t revived and the problems aren’t addressed, they will no doubt escalate over time. Many couples attempt to repair their problems on their own, and depending on the severity of their issues, sometimes they are successful–sometimes they are not. One solution is to seek couples counseling. If you live in the Raleigh-Durham area, there are a number of excellent marriage counselors nearby. When it comes to things like marriage counseling, Raleigh, NC certainly has the resources–you’d be hard-pressed not to find a therapist that both parties are comfortable working with.

Marriage counselors everywhere are helping couples re-establish good communication, and put peace and stability back into their relationships. This is not to say that a healthy relationship isn’t possible again without couples counseling, but studies have proven that couples who seek therapy have better chances of improving than couples who don’t. When relationships have problems, it’s because the individuals that comprise the relationships are bringing different issues to the table. Marriage counseling is based on the premise that these problems are best handled as a unit, and in the context of the relationship. When a relationship sets the pace for a downward spiral with repetitive arguments, resentment, and distance, couples counseling can be a highly effective tool for objectifying the situation.

As we mentioned above, there are research outcomes that allude to the overall effectiveness of couples counseling. Here are a few of those findings:

* 75 percent of couples that have had marriage counseling are better off than similar couples who have not.
* 65 percent of couples that receive therapy report significant improvement based on averaged marital “satisfaction” scores.
* While most couples benefit from therapy, both spouses don’t necessarily experience the same outcomes.
* Therapies that produce the greatest gain tend to affect a couple’s emotional bonds and help the spouses work together to achieve a greater level of emotional maturity or “differentiation.” *

What’s wonderful about the times we are living in is that there is no shame in couples choosing to address their problems head-on in a therapeutic setting. Couples everywhere are making the decision to seek marriage counseling, Raleigh NC being no exception. If you reside in the Research Triangle area, you are lucky to have access to some wonderful marriage counselors. But as with anything, feel free to shop around. You want to find someone that both you and your parter are comfortable with. Ask for recommendations from people you trust or read reviews and credentials of local therapists that are readily available online.

* Center for Addiction and Mental Health. Couple therapy: Factors influencing a couple’s relationship. Available at www.camh.net/about_addiction_mental_health/couple_therapy_factors.html

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Written by Kacy Suther. Couples counseling is provided by marriage counselors Raleigh NC by Jeff Levy, marriage counseling: Raleigh NC, Apex, Cary North Carolina served. More info at http://www.couplescounseling.com .