When do you know if your marriage needs help? Are there signs? Do all couples need counseling after several years of marriage?
Most couples have issues or problems that occur. That’s just life. The best time to get counseling is when one or both people in the marriage feel they cannot work out a compromise or come to a logical solution.
Reaching such a point is not something to be ashamed of. Rather, it shows that both people are at least consenting to the fact that they need help. Seeking counseling is a courageous step to take.
How do you know if your marriage has gotten to the point of needing counseling? Here are ten signs to consider:
1. Both people have stopped communicating.
2. One or both people are always angry and yelling.
3. One or both are always blaming the other person, and he or she cannot be reasoned with.
4. You’d rather be alone than spend time with your spouse.
5. You think about divorce or having an affair.
6. You regret ever getting married.
7. You’re more depressed than ever.
8. You avoid confrontation, knowing it will only lead to a fight.
9. You avoid sexual intimacy.
10. You talk to your friends more than you do your spouse.
A counselor can help a couple examine better ways of communicating, and can also help them see things more clearly. Many times counselors listen and help a couple reach their own conclusion by providing unbiased information and guidance.
Counseling is also good because it allows two people to express themselves in front of a neutral third party. Both spouses end up learning more about the true nature and feelings they’re experiencing, and gaining new insight on each other. In this sense, counseling provides an avenue of awareness.