Marriage is no easy task, which is why approximately 40% to 50% of couples divorce. If you’re married, you might experience times when your relationship seems stagnant, dull, or even bad. When these times occur, you can ignore the issues and let your marriage fade and worsen, or you can do something about it. One of the best things you can do to protect and build your marriage is to attend couples therapy.
Here are eight signs to watch for in your marriage that can indicate that your marriage needs therapy.
1. You Rarely Talk
When a marriage starts experiencing issues, it often begins with a lack of communication. If you rarely talk to your spouse, your relationship might suffer.
Talking to your spouse is a vital aspect of a relationship. When you stop talking, you stop communicating. As a result, you might begin living separate lives and know very little about each other.
If you’re noticing this problem in your marriage, you might want to start looking for help. You can begin by choosing couples therapists to help you learn how to improve your communication skills with each other.
2. Your Conversations Aren’t Good
If you and your spouse rarely talk, what happens when you have conversations? Is there anger in the air when you talk? Can you feel resentment, bitterness, or animosity?
In many cases, couples that rarely talk often end up having conversations that aren’t productive or good. In fact, the conversations might consist of arguing and bickering instead of talking and listening.
When your conversations involve bickering and arguing, it’s often because one or both spouses have issues that they need to address.
You might feel upset about something your spouse did or didn’t do. They might be mad about something, too. If you’re not communicating about the problems, the words and attitudes that come from you might be negative.
3. You Lack Intimacy
A lot of couples realize that they need couples therapy when the marriage lacks intimacy. Sex and intimacy are vital components of a relationship, but they tend to fade when couples fail to prioritize these things.
Attending couples therapy is a great way to learn ways to improve your sex lives. If improving sex lives is one of your primary goals, couples therapy can help.
When a couple has a good, satisfying sex life, they tend to feel closer and more connected.
4. You No Longer Laugh
Another sign that you need couples therapy is if you no longer laugh together anymore. Laughter is something that healthy relationships value. Happy couples know the importance of having fun with each other.
When your marriage begins lacking laughter, the laughter is often replaced with bitterness or anger.
Can you remember the times when you had fun with your spouse and spent your time telling silly jokes to each other? Do you miss these times?
You can learn how to rekindle your relationship and fall in love with your spouse again if you seek help. Without seeking help, you might not be able to solve the relationship problems, which means that nothing will change.
5. You Argue Over the Same Issues
Did you know that around 36.1% of couples say they divorced primarily for financial reasons? While you might not struggle financially, you likely have other issues that you fight about with your spouse.
It could be arguments over the way you parent. It could be problems relating to how you spend your time or the friends you have.
Couples fight about all kinds of things, but arguing over the same issues means one thing – you never resolve the issues.
Counseling for couples is highly beneficial for resolving issues that you argue about all the time. If you can resolve these major issues, you’ll naturally have a happier and better marriage.
6. You’re Thinking About Leaving the Marriage
If you or your spouse think about leaving the marriage, it’s a definite sign that you need to seek couples therapy.
While many couples divorce, it’s best if you do all you can possibly do to try to save the marriage before giving up on it. One way to try to save the marriage is through therapy.
There are many benefits of couples therapy, and one is that it can provide the answers and healing you need to stay together. It can also provide the tools you need to improve your marriage and solve the issues you have.
7. You Feel Like Roommates
When a marriage starts going downhill, the spouses might say that they feel more like roommates than lovers. Can you relate? Does it seem like your spouse is your roommate instead of your lover?
When you reach this point in your marriage, it’s a sure sign that you need help. Couples who seek help tend to develop stronger relationships, and they feel happier and more satisfied in their relationships.
8. Infidelity Occurred or Might Occur
Infidelity is not uncommon for marriages, but it can destroy a relationship. Some couples decide to call it quits after infidelity, but others decide to try to work through the issues to make the marriage work.
If infidelity occurred in your marriage, you will likely need some professional help. You might also want to consider getting help if there is a chance that infidelity might occur.
Couples can work through these types of issues, even though they are complex and serious, but it’s easier to work through them when you seek professional help.
Couples Therapy Can Make a Significant Difference
When a couple starts experiencing distance between them for any reason, they should act quickly. When married couples ignore the issues, they usually worsen.
Attending couples therapy is a great way to show that you care about your marriage, and it could make a significant difference in your relationship.
An Affair of the Heart is a couples retreat center that offers help to struggling marriages. If you have questions or would like more information, please fill out this form.