Understanding Couples Therapy: What It Is and How It Works
Couples therapy is not just for couples who get into screaming matches. It can be for anyone who has hit a rough patch with a loved one, feels like they’re not communicating effectively with their spouse, or needs extra support in talking about certain issues.
The most effective couples therapy in Los Angeles for couples uses customized evidence-based approaches, trying out different methodologies based on you and your significant others’ needs. The best couples’ therapists will adapt their approach as time goes on, tailoring your treatment plan so it continues to work for you. Couples’ counseling aims to:
Change both partners’ views on the relationship, so they can see it objectively, without allowing stress, emotions, and blame to get in the way of healthy communication
Addresses emotions and helps both partners to freely express how they feel rather than avoiding the topic or suppressing their needs for closeness
Helps both partners change dysfunctional behavior, especially actions that can cause psychological, physical, or financial harm to their partner
Improves communication by encouraging both partners to speak up, and listen to one another actively, without abuse, conflict, or judgment
Builds resilience and adds positivity by focusing on the relationship’s strengths while working on the weaknesses
Common misconceptions about couples therapy are:
It’s a miracle cure for your relationship
There’s no point in going because the relationship must be doomed
You have to go to couple’s therapy for years
Your therapist will take your side, “fix” your partner and make them do what you want
Therapy will take all conflict out of your marriage
Couple’s therapy makes it easy to solve your problems
It’s not always the couples heading for divorce who need therapy. Counseling can benefit any couple, especially when you’re going through a stressful time in your life, or when one or both of you have a mental health disorder. There’s no guarantee that therapy is a fix-all solution to every problem, but with hard work and an open-minded attitude, couple’s therapy can be very beneficial.
The Benefits of Couples Therapy in Strengthening Relationships
If you and your partner are having trouble seeing eye to eye on issues or are fighting more than you used to, couple’s therapy can help. You’ve most likely been together for years, and over that time, you’ve gotten used to patterns of behavior and communication styles that may not work for you anymore.
One of the keys to a healthy relationship is good communication, which is why improving communication and understanding is one of the top goals of any couple’s therapist. In therapy, you’ll learn active listening while your therapist encourages you to be confident in what you feel without dismissing your partner’s point of view. You’ll gain more empathy for your partner, and you’ll learn to avoid ineffective communication habits that may come from other underlying issues like traumatic experiences or anxiety.
Resolving conflict is another important tool in any healthy couple’s toolbox. Respectful, supportive language is encouraged as you learn new ways to get what you need from your partner, without fighting. You’ll learn new problem-solving skills and self-control, and find new ways to speak openly as you express your thoughts and feelings, without allowing emotions and assumptions to cloud your judgment.
Rebuilding trust is crucial as you move forward together as a team. Therapy can help you find the underlying roots of any trust issues you may have, while making your relationship a safe space for both partners to be vulnerable, tell the truth, and express their fears and concerns. You’ll learn to acknowledge each others’ feelings, apologize sincerely, and find ways to let your trust for your partner build over time.
Once you’ve achieved these goals, you and your loved one will have the tools you need to move forward in life with higher relationship satisfaction, and a decreased emotional distance between you.
Why Choose Los Angeles for Your Couples Therapy Journey?
Going to couples therapy in Los Angeles can offer you advantages that couples counseling in rural areas may not, like diverse treatment modalities that include access to specialized therapies. When you choose Moment of Clarity, you’ll have access to different treatments, with customized programming that can be tailored to suit you and your loved one, and your lifestyle. Your sessions may include:
Through our spectrum of treatments, you and your partner can work together to rebuild the loving relationship you once had, while gaining new skills that will bring you closer than ever before.
Moment of Clarity’s Approach to Couples Therapy in Los Angeles
At Moment of Clarity, we tailor therapy sessions for each couple, giving you the care and attention you need to overcome your issues and work toward a happier life together, moving forward. We have a team of therapists with expertise and various therapy techniques who will help you work through past trauma and mental health concerns, while learning better ways to communicate and empathize with your spouse or loved one. We take care to assess your needs, both as individuals and together as partners, giving you the best chance at overcoming underlying issues and moving forward together in a strong, healthy relationship.
Along with different treatment options, there are also different levels of care to choose from. Not every couple needs full-time treatment, which is why we provide partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and outpatient programs. These treatment levels vary in their flexibility and the number of hours spent in treatment, and we will collaborate with you to create the right program for your needs.
At Moment of Clarity, all our staff uses trauma-informed, evidence-based therapeutic models, ensuring you and your partner get the most effective care as you work together on rebuilding your relationship. We provide couples’ therapy to Los Angeles couples on an outpatient basis, allowing you both to return home at the end of the day.
Both partners are taken into consideration, and you will work through your mental health issues together and plan a road to recovery that includes yourself and your partner as you regain trust and intimacy, and learn important effective communication skills. Your treatments will include group, individual, and couple’s therapy, all of which are offered on a flexible schedule to minimize disruptions to your life, so you can live your life, go to work, and have time to work toward achieving the goals you’ve set for yourselves.
Getting Started with Couples Therapy in Los Angeles
To get started at Moment of Clarity, all you have to do is call us at 949-625-0564, and we’ll set up your first couple’s therapy session. To prepare, you can discuss your goals together, or think about what you’d like to achieve as a couple. We offer compassionate, competent care and flexible outpatient services that will help you and your loved one overcome your relationship problems, heal underlying issues, and rebuild your relationship together. We are here for you, and we can help.
