In an ideal world if you and your partner had problems both of you would jump at the chance to start relationship counseling. You think each partner would try to correct those issues. But, that is not always the case. Often one person will want to try relationship counseling and the other will not.
There are a few reasons for this. The most common being fear of vulnerability and perception of what it will be like. People don’t like to be vulnerable. They may be hesitant to share emotions and feelings. They may be uncomfortable talking about past situations. There is also the idea relationship counseling can lead to finger-pointing and more fighting. But, this is often is not the case.
But, even if only one of you wants to work on the relationship, positive change can still happen. At Move Forward we don’t offer couples or family counseling. But, we do often work with individuals who are wanting to improve their relationships. We see clients from all over the state of Pennsylvania through online relationship counseling.
Here Are a Few Ways You Can Work on Your Relationship Individually:
Develop Communication Skills
You can learn healthy communication skills. So many of us are stuck in patterns of unhealthy communication. We keep things quiet when we should be sharing them, we pretend, we act in irrational ways, we lose our calm, and more. For many of us, these are patterns we developed as children and teens in our family homes. As a result, we may have never learned a different way.
In relationship counseling, you can learn better ways to express your feelings and share your concerns. You can learn how to keep calm and the best way to approach certain issues. We can even coach you through specific problems and situations.
Increase Friendship and Intimacy
Many relationships struggle because the partners have lost touch with each other. They no longer feel the same friendship and intimacy that they did when they first came together. This is natural and occurs happens over time as we grow as people and face new experiences. Relationships take work. There has to be an effort to maintain a level of friendship and intimacy, the same way as you do with any other friend. You need to do things together, to talk to each other, and to try to find some common interests or passions. In counseling, you can learn ways to develop your friendship and receive guidance on how to be more intimate.
Find Ways to Connect
A counselor can offer suggestions or tools to increase connection with your partner. They may suggest certain times of the day where you schedule a time to talk or make a weekly date night. The idea is to find out what types of things can fit into your life that may increase connectedness.
Explore Personal Attachment Styles and Relationship Patterns
Many relationship issues link back to each of our personal histories. These may have been things we have been through as children. Or, attachment styles that were established at a very young age, and relationship patterns. These all tell us something about who we are and what we need in a relationship. Individual counseling can give you the time and space to explore these details of your past. By doing so, you can determine how they may be impacting your present.
Help You Navigate Transitions
Transitions are hard on people and relationships. Events like moving, career changes, the birth of children, or children moving out can all play a big role in relationship challenges. By learning how to navigate these difficult transitions, you can also learn healthy ways to repair relationships. By doing so, you can also heal yourself.
Establish Personal Goals
What do you want out of life? What are you still looking to do? How can you get there? And, how does your partner fit into these goals? Relationship counseling can be very beneficial. It can help people figure out what they are looking for out of a relationship. Or, where their dissatisfaction may be coming from. Are you unhappy in your marriage because you are home with the kids and you want to be working? Are you resentful because your spouse gets to follow his/her/their dreams but you aren’t? A licensed mental health professional can help you establish healthy goals.
It would be ideal to go to couples counseling as a couple. But, there is still a lot of progress that can occur by working on your life and personal wellbeing. At Move Forward we often work with individuals to determine what positive changes they can make to live a healthier, happier life.
Begin Online Relationship Counseling in Pennsylvania
At Move Forward, our professionally-trained and licensed counselors have the experience and insight to support you in improving your relationship. Call our office at 717-462-7003×1 and speak to our administrative assistant to get started. You can get tailored help by following these simple steps:
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Meet with one of our expert therapists
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Start improving your relationship.
Other Services Offered at Move Forward Counseling
Online relationship counseling isn’t the only service offered at Move Forward Counseling. We are happy to offer a variety of online therapy services. These include treatment for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and trauma. We also offer online relationship counseling, CBT, DBT, teen therapy, postpartum therapy, relationship problems, work stress, and more. Learn more about us by visiting our blog or by contacting us today!
