Are You Considering Couples Therapy For One?
- Do you want to take positive steps toward working on your relationship?
- Are you tired of waiting for your partner to agree to come to therapy with you?
- Did you know that even when you attend therapy without your partner, you can still benefit from individual marriage and couples counseling
Perhaps you would like to get some individual help on the challenges you face that directly impact how you interact with your spouse. Or maybe it’s your partner who has recommended you work on yourself for the sake of the relationship. In other instances, your partner may not think anything is wrong and doesn’t see the need for therapy, but you feel differently.
You Might Feel Frustrated In Your Relationship
When the same patterns keep emerging—misunderstandings, ongoing conflict, or emotional distance that impacts physical intimacy—you might feel like you’re stuck in an endless loop. However, you have realized that the change starts with you. Unless you make an effort to break out of this cycle, each day will be “rinse and repeat.” Even though your partner isn’t ready—or, perhaps, willing—to attend therapy with you, getting a better perspective from a professional will benefit your relationship as a whole.
The good news is that it’s okay to go to relationship counseling for yourself without waiting for your partner. In individual marriage counseling, you can be the one who makes changes, causing a ripple effect within the relationship that improves communication and reduces conflict.
The Misconception Surrounding Couples Therapy For One
When we talk about couples therapy, the term itself implies that it requires both partners. We have all seen movies and TV shows with scenes set in the therapist’s office where a couple sits next to each other on the couch, hashing out their issues. And since this has become the only version we ever see of what working on a relationship in counseling looks like, couples therapy for one almost sounds like an oxymoron.
Due to this preconceived notion that’s been perpetuated by our culture, most of us believe that unless we can get our partner to agree to attend couples therapy with us, then it’s an all-or-nothing proposition. Without their participation, we think that we aren’t allowed to work on our relationship in counseling. Sadly, this misapprehension prevents many of us from ever getting therapy that would benefit ourselves as well as the relationship. Or we might hold off on seeking a therapist until the relationship has deteriorated, making it harder to return from the brink of collapse.
It's Okay To Come To Couples Therapy By Yourself
Despite what you may think, gaining insights about yourself and the relationship patterns you fall into when attending marriage counseling for one is possible. After all, each of us brings our own set of issues into every relationship we have. By learning how to better express your needs and feelings and addressing insecurities that might prevent you from being vulnerable with your partner, you can start making improvements in your relationship on your own.
Relationship Counseling For One Can Create A Positive Ripple Effect
Too often, people believe that relationship problems can only be solved when they’re worked on together. As they continue to wait for their partner to agree to therapy, they miss out on valuable counseling that could benefit the relationship now. As a counselor who specializes in couples and relationships, I want to give you permission to attend marriage counseling for one without your spouse. Since becoming a therapist, I have helped countless clients improve their relationships by working one-on-one with individuals rather than with couples.
Couples counseling for one is a safe place to work on your own issues that might contribute to problems within your relationship. Sometimes it can be easier to talk about these things without your partner being there because it allows you to be more open and transparent.
What To Expect In Sessions
Our goal in therapy will be to identify ways to improve communication and connection within your relationship. Even though your partner won’t be there, we will respect them as though they’re in the room with us. Rather than them becoming the scapegoat for the problems in the relationship, we will actively look for solutions you can implement yourself that will benefit your dynamic as a couple.
Changes you can make on your own that can lead to positive improvements include learning more effective ways to communicate. We do this by helping you find better words to use so that you really hear each other. I will also help you build intimacy and provide you with strategies for prioritizing your relationship. With a solutions-focused approach to therapy, you can bring what we work on in sessions back home with you and start implementing changes right away.
Throwing a stone into a stream doesn't just make one wave—it makes numerous ripples depending on how well you throw the rock. Making one positive change in your dynamic with your partner can, in turn, create more changes. The first ripple can start with you. If you are ready to start counseling, but your partner isn't, you don’t have to hold off any longer.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Relationship Counseling Is Right For You...
Does couples therapy for one really work?
You might be doubtful that attending counseling to work on your relationship without your partner joining you will be helpful. However, receiving individual therapy for relationship issues can also provide many benefits. For example, in individual marriage counseling, you can bring up things about your relationship that you may have difficulty talking about in front of your partner. As a therapist who specializes in working with individual clients to help them improve their relationships, I love helping them start the first ripple to make improvements in their relationships.
What if my partner never joins me in relationship counseling?
Understandably, you might decide to start relationship therapy by yourself because your objective is to eventually get your partner to join you. But regardless of whether counseling is attended individually or as a couple, our goal remains the same—to bring positive change to your relationship. Choosing to attend therapy on your own rather than waiting for your partner can be every bit as beneficial as couples counseling. There’s no reason you should put off working on your relationship just because your partner doesn’t want to come.
Counseling for relationship problems is too expensive
Trying to ignore the cracks in your relationship until it’s too late is never a good idea. If you wait until small issues become bigger ones, then you may run the risk of separation or divorce down the road. Although relationship counseling is a financial commitment, when you look at it in these terms, you can see that it is well worth the investment.
The Positive Change In Your Relationship Can Start With You
Couples therapy for one can help you get your relationship where you want it to be. If you would like to find out more about relationship counseling with me, you can call (954) 840-3249, email me at jennifer@facetofacetherapy.com, or visit my contact page.