Love Makes the World Go 'Round' Or Does It?

Although counseling for couples usually begins with a discussion of the most urgent problems in the relationship, counselors take a variety of approaches. Many recent theories about helping couples are based on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and include those developed by John Gottman, Harville Hendrix, Brent Atkinson, and Susan M. Johnson. If you'd like to become better informed about these theories before choosing a psychotherapist, conduct an Internet search for these names or search for relationship articles.

Articles in psychotherapy journals explain that relationship counseling is most effective if couples seek help at the first sign of trouble. However, that's not what happens in most relationships. The articles state that couples wait an average of six years after this point to get help! They list common issues that send couples to therapists as poor communication skills, problems with intimacy, and psychological disorders of one or both partners in the relationship. The articles, which point out that couples counseling usually takes at least several months, summarize the benefits of relationship counseling as improving or alleviating the presenting symptoms and restoring the relationship to a healthier level of functioning. If relationship counseling sounds like something you might be interested in, don't wait six years! Get started right now by browsing the profiles of therapists listed on this site.