No marriage is perfect, which is why some married couples benefit from marriage counseling. Marriage counseling can help you work through your communication issues, ease a life transition or simply find better ways to connect. If marriage counseling sounds like the right course for you, arrange it carefully by talking to your spouse about the possibility of counseling, and by finding a marriage counselor who shares your ideals. Marriage counseling can help to improve the quality of your marriage and provide for a more satisfying relationship.
Step 1
Talk to your spouse about your desire to visit a counselor. Your spouse may be resistant and even opposed to the idea of letting a stranger dissect and analyze your marriage, so it's important to have examples of why and how marriage counseling can help you. ForYourMarriage.org, an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, notes that marriage counseling isn't only used for severe problems. It can help you to adapt to changes, improve communication and appreciate each other more. Give your partner time to think about the prospect of marriage counseling and show respect for upset or resistant feelings.
Step 2
Locate the right marriage counselor for you. If you currently see a therapist on your own, you could ask for a referral to a couple's therapist. Or, ask friends that you know have visited a couple's counselor in the past to find a counselor with a good track record. If you're looking into counselors on your own, call at least three offices and ask about experience, price, sessions and the counselor's philosophy on divorce, says psychologist and sex therapist Stephanie Buehler. Choose the counselor whose philosophies and ideals are similar to your own.
Step 3
Contact your health insurance company to find out whether or not they cover mental health services like marriage counseling. Some insurance companies will require a referral from a health care professional in order to cover the sessions, notes MayoClinic.com This could affect which counselor you decide to see. Choose a counselor based on affordability, experience and philosophy, and call to make an appointment with your spouse.
Step 4
Prepare for your appointment by talking to your spouse about what to expect, and issues you both feel comfortable discussing with a therapist present. You may find that, as an initially resistant spouse becomes more comfortable with the idea of marriage counseling, he or she will open up and become a willing participant in sessions to improve your marriage. Go to your first session with an open mind, and allow your marriage counselor to lead the session.
