Happily Ever Afters are for fairy tales. In our real life, romance and marriage are quite different and complicated. Similar to all relationships, marriage also comes with its own complications that arise from nothing other than the flaws in human nature.
Contrary to the belief that marriage counsellors are sought out only when there is infidelity involved in the relationship, they can help couples deal with many other things apart from the above-mentioned issue. Apart from infidelity, there are some common problems with which couples seek the help of a marriage counsellor. While some are quite well known, other reasons might come to you as a surprise. So here are some of the common issues marriage counsellors help couples with.
Common Issues Marriage Counsellors Work With:
Family Interference:
While some in-laws are a blessing, others can be quite a nuisance. After marriage, the couple needs privacy to determine their comfort zones, find the rhythm with each other, and settle down in the new relationship in peace. However, at times, either or both the families of the bride and groom can be overbearing, disrespecting the healthy boundaries. This might become an issue between the partners and can get serious with time. Couples seek the help of a marriage counsellor to deal with such issues and maintain a healthy relationship.
Blended Families and Remarriage:
“Once burnt, twice shy”. The saying holds true for people who have been divorced in the past and is on the cusp of getting married again. Such people, who have been hurt before get a little nervous about their second marriage, especially when statistics state that the rate of divorce for second marriages is higher than the first. Blending in with the new family becomes more complicated if one or both the partners have kids from their previous marriages. To make a smooth transition into the new relationship and also to avoid unnecessary conflict, couples seek the help of marriage counsellors.
Mental Health Issues:
If one of the partners has been diagnosed with mental health issues, it might impact the marriage. Mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression not only affect the person but also strains the relationship he or she shares with their close and dear ones. Apart from the right treatment for the mental health issues, marriage counselling also helps the patient and the couple work together as a team to deal with the illness and prevent it from affecting the marriage adversely.
Changes in Physical Health:
Similar to mental health, physical health problems can also have a significant impact on the marriage. A gradual decline in health can affect the intimate conjugal life of a couple. At other times an illness or an unfortunate accident can interfere and can act as a big change on the marriage, especially if one partner is unable to work and the responsibilities of the household and the daily falls entirely on the other partner.
Grief:
Grief comes in our lives at various points of time in many different forms. For a married couple, grief can be the loss of a parent or their child and it can in certain cases, wreck havoc on the marriage. A counsellor assists the couple to cope with the grief and work through the issues together as a team so that they are not torn apart by it.
While these are some of the common problems with which married couples visit counsellors, there are several other issues that a counsellor can help with. Overall it can be said that you do not need to have a specific documented issue to attend marriage counselling. If you feel the need of professional to help your relationship survive the test of time, make an appointment and visit the counsellor as soon as possible.
