Are you and your partner feeling a bit lost from each other? Struggling to get back on the same page but unsure how or if that’s even possible. Explore how couples therapy can help you reconnect and work on your relationship goals as a team!
So, you’ve been feeling like something is off in your relationship? For some reason – or a number of them –, you feel like you’ve been drifting away from each other. Nothing feels like it used to and you’re yearning for things to go back to the way they were but you have no idea how to go about it.
Well, here’s a bit of good news: you’ve already taken the first step by acknowledging that there’s an issue that needs attention. And you’re even looking for how to set relationship goals as a couple to work toward a solution. That’s great! You might not know where to go from here (yet!) or how you can put it into practice, but you’ve already started!
Recognizing that you’ve been facing some difficulties as a couple is the first step to a healthier relationship, and figuring out how to move forward is the next.
However, we often get too caught up in our issues to be able to see past them. You might already have an idea of the end goals you want to achieve, but how do you begin working toward them?
A couples therapist can help you and your partner define and work through your relationship goals. In fact, these shared goals are incredibly important in couples therapy, allowing you to strengthen your connection and foster understanding.
Common Issues to Address in Couples Therapy
First of all, don’t worry: many of the issues that bring couples to therapy are much more common than you might think. A lot of couples experience similar challenges. Sometimes, it’s not just about the relationship, but how the struggles you’re facing at work or in other areas of your lives are affecting your communication or problem-solving as a couple.
Other times, a significant or unexpected event may disrupt your relationship and it’s completely okay to feel unsure about how to move forward.
Couples therapy can support you in some common relationship challenges, including:
- Communication problems;
- Emotional disconnection;
- Unresolved conflict;
- Life transitions/major life events;
- Lack of intimacy;
- Trust issues;
- Premarital preparation.
To explore these concerns, it’s vital to reflect on your shared goals, which will guide you toward a deeper bond and a stronger relationship.
Setting Relationship Goals
Defining relationship goals begins with considering your specific needs and expectations, both as individuals and as a couple. There are no specific rules: you may have one main goal you want to achieve, or you may want to agree on a number of them. As therapy progresses, goals can also change over time.
If you’re unsure about what it looks like to set relationship goals in couples counseling, this is a broad view of what usually happens:
- Analyzing the current circumstances within the relationship;
- Establishing shared goals;
- Promoting techniques to accomplish these goals;
- Examining progression and adjusting accordingly.
Some examples of common relationship goals include:
- Improving communication;
- Conflict resolution;
- Healing from emotional wounds and restoring trust;
- Improving intimacy;
- Working through individual differences;
- Anxiety and/or depression;
- Learning how to cope with specific challenges (e.g., financial issues, parenting, family dynamics).
Benefits of setting relationship goals
Agreeing on your shared goals and working toward them fosters a healthy relationship and brings numerous positive outcomes. For one, it helps both of you define clear expectations; in the long run, it promotes partnership, teamwork, and develops your problem-solving skills.
It allows for a better understanding of each other’s perspective, which results in greater empathy and a deeper emotional connection. Ultimately, it contributes to improving relationship satisfaction.
How Couples Therapy Can Help
First of all, let’s get the biggest myth out of the picture: just because you’re seeking professional help, that doesn’t mean your relationship is “doomed” or “condemned to fail”. A skilled couples therapist offers specialized support, encourages productive discussions, and provides helpful techniques to promote a healthy partnership.
However, for couples therapy to effectively work, it’s essential that each person values and respects themselves and their partner – because, at the end of the day, you’re still an individual outside of your relationship. So, it’s important that you’re both willing to make it work, fostering a safe space where you understand each other.
It’s imperative to comprehend how your own behavior is contributing to conflicts in the relationship. And yes, we know that it’s not easy to admit that the other person may not be the only one in the wrong. Couples counseling can help you become aware of how this happens so that you can create lasting change together.
A crucial takeaway from couples therapy is that the therapist isn’t there to solve a problem. Their focus is to guide and empower couples to solve their problems themselves. This will give you the tools and autonomy to fix any challenges that may come up in the future.
What to Expect From Couples Therapy
In order to help couples reach their relationship goals, a couples therapist has to set in motion a therapeutic process where they will:
- Promote understanding of what you’re mutually aiming for;
- Foster trust with both of you without dismissing the other;
- Explore potentially sensitive topics, individually;
- Determine the boundaries of therapy, thus creating a safe space for expressing your thoughts and feelings;
- Develop your critical thinking skills regarding thought patterns, behaviors, and feelings;
- Teach you how to effectively communicate;
- Promote awareness, validation, and hope for the future.
At the end of the day, couples counseling will not only help you and your partner accomplish your shared goals but also provide a safe space for both to express yourselves and gain a deeper understanding of each other’s needs and desires.
After weathering the storm together, you’ll feel more confident and prepared to handle any future challenges as a team and come out of it even stronger.
Start Couples Therapy In Baltimore, MD
Whether you’re finding it hard to set relationship goals or stay aligned on a shared vision as a couple, we’re here for you! Our Baltimore couples therapists can help you express your individual and shared needs, and work together toward building a stronger, more fulfilling partnership.
Talk to us to know more, or schedule a free 15-minute consultation to get started!
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