The Gottman Method of couples therapy is a research-supported approach designed to enhance relationships by bolstering the bond between partners, resolving conflicts, and fostering shared meaning in their relationship through comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions that improve communication, trust, and the overall health of the partnership.
On average, couples attend marriage and couples counseling for 12 weeks. However, couples & marriage counseling may last longer or shorter, dependent on the couples’ needs, the challenges they’d like to work through, and the pace of their progress.
At Thriveworks, we take most major forms of insurance, which means that many of our clients only pay $0-$50 co-pay per session. However, there are also self-pay options that sit around $200 per session, depending on the service and location, for those who are out-of-network.
In couples counseling and marriage therapy, partners learn skills and tools for good–even better than ever–marriages or relationships. The time to make an appointment is when one person thinks it’s necessary, and the other person doesn’t. Other signs are when feelings of being stuck exist or if one person feels emotionally or physically/sexually disconnected. When a couple fights, and a partner withdraws or refuses to address issues, help may be needed. If a partner begins to think a relationship with somebody else would be better, more fruitful and exciting, it’s time to get the help necessary from a professional couples counselor at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY.
A variety of reasons lead to conflict in relationships. Some common issues couples experience are:
Everything Would be Ok if He/She Changed
It is key to remember that the only person you can change is yourself. When waiting for a spouse to change, it may take a very long time, if ever. A therapist at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY can help individuals better understand who they are and what they want. If challenges continue to persist, the therapist can teach better tools for relating to each other.
Little Things Feel Like Big Things Now
Each individual has “trigger” behaviors or specific things that drive them crazy. These behaviors might not bother the majority of people. One partner may have a certain expectation of how to do the laundry or which way to load the dishes in the dishwasher or the right ingredients to make a healthy dinner. The results can be something that was a seemingly small issue erupting into a huge conflict. Meanwhile, the other partner often does not understand why the fights keep happening or what to do about them. An expert therapist at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY can dig through the conflicts with the couple and uncover the root of the issue.
Ongoing Relationship Issues
Partners in relationships sometimes have big arguments that carry over for months without any resolution in the near future. Whether it is different views on family finances, incompatible sex drives or the opposite views on disciplining the children, the challenges feel insurmountable. Instead of waiting to seek help, the couple is best served when finding help sooner than later. Professional therapists at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY can help when both partners fully commit to understanding the other’s point of view and are willing to try to find common ground.
Seeing a Partner as “The Enemy”
Partners in relationships are not adversaries–rather, they are “players” on the same team. When an individual feels let down, exasperated, hurt, slighted, ignored, misunderstood or criticized by the other person, it can be very frustrating and disheartening. If the conflicts are not worked through or the couple does not talk about them, the issues go “underground.” Over time, this can lead to a hollowness in the relationship, and the once positive feelings with a partner are absent in place of hurts and resentments. While many people are not even aware it is happening–or attempts at repairing the issues have left the couple feeling worse than ever–it is time to call a therapist at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY to get the necessary help for the relationship.
Couples may face a variety of conflicts in their relationships. Whether it is a bump in the road or an issue that seems mountainous, there is help. Call Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY at (716) 541-0841 to schedule a session or to find out more about how couples counseling and marriage therapy can help your relationship get on the road to a healthier, stronger relationship.
