Human relations are bound to have ups and downs. Throughout our lives, we have interacted with so many people – some close to us, some we knew from childhood, and some who we met in the most unexpected manner. Understanding the dynamics of human relationships can help us engage with others meaningfully and have strong relationships with quality. One of the most promising relationships is that of a couple. Someone with whom people can share all their day’s work, love, sadness, happiness, and every other facet.
But what happens when tension is built between the partners? Why is it that some couples fall out or breakup after having issues persist between them? While it is natural for people to have fights and disagreements, breaking apart from a relationship is not a solution in most cases. The pain and hurt during times of distress may give an illusion of the partner’s lack of understanding and other problems, but Relationship Counseling is the solution to look at all perspectives before jumping to hurtful conclusions.
Relationship counseling in India or Couple’s therapy is gaining popularity due to the awareness of mental health among young couples who are willing to work on themselves and repair their relationship.
The fact that couples spend their entire lives together makes them aware of the problems related to communication, affection, time, and personal issues much more significant and necessary to be dealt with.
Role of Communication in Relationships
Whether it be any kind of relationship, communication is key. Without communication, even the best of relationships has experienced a decline in quality and bonding. It is even more essential when it comes to couples in a relationship. Unresolved issues mostly occur due to the lack of effective communication among couples. Imagine the suffocation and feelings of loneliness that may seep in without having effective communication with your partner. In cases of prolonged experience of problems, fights, or irritation in a relationship, Relationship counseling in India can help in addressing the issues and help the couple identify where they need to set boundaries, adjust, and forgive. Strategies are provided by the counselors to ensure the couple is able enough resolve their issues on their own even in the future.
Relationship Counseling Take-aways for Couples
Relationship counseling in India for couples helps the partners resolve their issues, strengthen their bond, and build a deeper connection. The counselor may typically use the following communication strategies, resolution techniques, empathy development and enhancement, etc. to enable the client to resolve the issues faced by them and their partners –
- Active Listening – An Essential of Communication Training
The first and foremost component of communication is to listen.
Most problems arise when the partners fail to listen to the other’s perspective without a sense of judgment or feeling offended. Counselors help the client develop active listening that involves listening to the partner without interrupting them and also paraphrasing – restating what they understood using their own words. These simple techniques can make the partner feel validated and show that you are paying attention to what they are saying.
- Using “I” Statements
Using ‘I’ statements has two potential benefits – Expressing Feelings Without Blame and taking ownership of Emotions:
Usual styles of expressing distress are by using sentences worded as “you always do things I don’t like!”, “you never listen to anything I say!”, etc. Such ways of expressing issues not only hurt your partner but do not shed light on your feelings as well. All that your partner would infer from this is that you have a problem with them, but not how you feel. Expressing emotions is essential for a relationship and for partners to feel that they are valued and can be relied upon.
Couples are hence taught to use “I” statements (e.g., “I feel sad when…”) to help them express their emotions without accusing the partner and finding faults. Likewise, taking ownership of one’s own emotions allows one to understand that the way to respond to any problem is in their hands. This helps the partners develop a sense of responsibility toward managing their emotions while expressing what they feel without blaming the other.
- Importance of having Quality time with your partner
In modern dynamics, making space for having some ‘quality time’ with one’s family is as crucial as is scarce. Sharing what one feels with the partner not only strengthens their relationship but also helps the other partner understand where the problem lies. This allows for speedy and effective resolution of the problem. Hence, counselors in relationship counseling in India help clients schedule dedicated time for their partners and teach them how to interact effectively. Partners are also encouraged to engage in activities that require the involvement of both partners, doing things that the partner likes, sharing their experiences/memories, and so on.
- Body-language training
Counselors in relationship counseling online in India help the client identify and understand the importance of not just ‘what’ they speak, but the ‘way’ they speak too.
Counselors enable the clients to develop positive body language even during video calls or physical meet-ups as that conveys how interested one is in communicating. Going for Relationship counseling in India also help their clients understand the meaning, inference, and modulation of the tone and volume with which they speak to their partner which may convey the wrong message without meaning it.
- Conflict De-Escalation Techniques
Counselors help couples develop and practice conflict de-escalation techniques that prevent an argument from reaching a stage where it does the most damage. Some techniques involved are –
- Agreeing to Disagree: Counselors help couples recognize when it is alright to have a difference in opinion to prevent unnecessary conflicts and arguments. It also enables the client to develop a non-judgmental attitude towards their partner, where they respect each other’s viewpoints.
- Taking Time-Outs: Couples are encouraged to take small breaks during heated arguments to cool down. This helps prevent the discussion from becoming a debate or an argument
- Gratitude Exercises
Counselors in relationship counseling in India enable their clients to develop a sense of Validation of what the other partner is feeling. No emotion is unnecessary. When one feels validated, they feel heard and are ready to work towards solving problems together.
A counselor may also suggest Gratitude Exercises as a weekly practice for couples to help them appreciate the presence of their partners in their lives. It is important to remember, that in a relationship, every small step counts.
While it is essential to have your own opinions and maintain self-identity, in a relationship skillful communication can prevent and restore any problem. Relationship counseling in India is therefore gaining popularity in the current times because people understand that it helps them manage their own emotions while helping them understand where their partner feels invalidated. Clients are also taught techniques to manage their expectations from their partners as every individual has their strengths and limitations. Developing a sense of respect and mutual understanding can help partners overcome problems together!
Why CoachForMind?
- Experienced Psychologists: We are a team of licensed RCI-registered clinical psychologists. Our team is well-experienced in various forms of therapy such as CBT, DBT, Narrative Therapy, and other therapeutic techniques used in Relationship counseling. We also have the facility and in-depth experience in conducting online relationship counseling sessions.
- Personalized Approach: We are dedicated to treating our clients in the best-suited way, carefully curated as per the client’s needs, and adhering to one-on-one, client-centered therapy. Therapies would be tailored according to the needs of the couple receiving relationship counseling.
- Scientific Techniques: Our treatment plans and therapeutic methods are based on highly researched scientific findings such as CBT, DBT, and Narrative Therapy amongst many others used in Relationship counseling in India.
- Quality service: We at CoachForMind ensure quality services in our treatment regime and therapeutic approaches. Our clients hold most value to us, so we ground our techniques in empathy while maintaining professionalism.
For more information, please visit our website or contact us directly at coachformind@gmail.com
