Taking the step to seek out couples counseling is huge, and the statistics show that most couples wait too long before seeking professional help. We whole-heartedly recommend couples invest in their relationship as fully as they would anything else of importance to them- meaning, time, money, and energy should be spent trying to make your relationship the best it possibly can be. In this blog, we’re going to share some tips from our couples counselors & therapists that will help those in the area make the most of their marriage.
Enjoy a Weekly Date Night in Sterling Heights, MI
Yelp and review sites are a great resource for ideas to keep things fresh in your marriage. This list of fun things to do in Clarkston is a great place to start. The idea behind this is that sharing new experiences with your spouse allow you to share something new and novel, broaden your horizons, and give you something to talk about beyond the hum-drum of everyday life. They’re an important way to reconnect with you spouse outside of normal everyday existence together.
A report released Feb. 7 by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia proposes that date nights are an important way for couples to spend some much-needed time by themselves.
Date nights, the report says, “may be particularly valuable” in our times, when culture accents the soul-mate model of marriage. As a result, couples “increasingly expect high levels of intimacy, communication and personal fulfillment” from their relationship.
Always Express Gratitude
You thank others for little courtesies, but do you thank your partner? To avoid taking each other for granted, try to show your appreciation at least once a day. Say it like you mean it—even if it’s in response to something that’s his or her “job” (like washing the dishes). If there’s something you appreciate, large or small, speak up!
Communication Is Key for Happy Couples
Ask about their day… and ask about what’s on the agenda for tomorrow. Give your spouse a platform to talk to you about what’s affecting them, and stay involved in their daily life. Tell your spouse about key details that impact you too. If you’re having a bad day, your spouse deserves to know why, and have the opportunity to help you with it. Communication prevents little misunderstandings from escalating into big fights.
Seek Couples Counseling in Clarkston, MI
Seeking out professional help early on means that you care enough about the stability of your marriage that you’re proactively protecting it from harm. Think of counseling as routine maintenance on your marriage- you’d do it for your car, so why wouldn’t you do it for the most important relationship in your life? Seeking out couples counseling provides a space to explore issues in a safe, welcoming environment, and doesn’t have to happen only when something is ‘wrong’. Your couples counselor can work with you to help each person overcome barriers they may have that effectively limit communication, and create strategies to carry with you outside of the therapist office. Some couples even prefer to start couples counseling BEFORE marriage, so that issues can be worked on before tying the knot.
If you live in Clarkston, MI and you’re experiencing marital dissatisfaction, or would simply like to improve and strengthen your marriage, you’re in the right place. Our office is located just outside of Clarkston, in Lake Orion, just south of M-59. Call us at (248) 595-9969 to schedule an appointment!
