Couples & Marriage Counseling in Akron, Ohio
Even strong relationships can go through periods of conflict, stress, disconnection, or change. Couples and marriage counseling can help partners better understand one another, improve communication, address recurring concerns, and develop healthier ways of navigating challenges together.
At our Akron counseling office, Avenues of Counseling and Mediation provides couples and relationship counseling for adults experiencing a wide range of relationship concerns.
Do You Have to be Married to go to Relationship Counseling?
Relationship therapy isn’t just for married people: cohabiting couples, people in non-monogamous relationships and LGBTQ+ people can also benefit. It can also be helpful for siblings dealing with family issues, or even business partners! Many couples engage in premarital counseling, sometimes a requirement by their church, but others simply as relationship-problem prevention. Premarital counseling can help prepare couples for entering into a long-term commitment and set the relationship up on a better path for the future.
Some of the relationship concerns that could be addressed during premarital counseling include:
Finances
Communication
Values and beliefs
Roles and responsibilities
Sex and affection
Whether or not to have children
Parenting choices
Dealing with extended families
What to Expect of Your First Couples Counseling Session
Therapy Often Starts Off Slow: Think about it. It has likely taken years for your relationship to get to the place it is now, and each of you have experienced a lot before the relationship even began. So don’t expect any huge revelations in the first couple of appointments. Though your therapist is highly skilled at relationship work, it will take him or her a bit of time to understand your unique individualities and your relationship needs.
You Both Will Be Heard: Most couples counselors want to have both partners in session typically, to foster an environment of honest and trust. Unless there is severe reactivity or they feel like one or both partners has some hesitation in the group sessions, most therapists will want you both to tell your side of the issue while your partner listens, so there are no secrets and neither of you feel like your therapist is choosing sides.
One on One Counseling Might Be Recommended: Each person in a relationship brings into it all the experiences in their life, good and bad. Often during relationship therapy, a couples counselor may ‘uncover’ an individual issue, like PTSD or other trauma, addiction, depression or anxiety. If that issue is affecting the relationship in a negative way, it is sometimes helpful for that person to also work with a counselor one on one to address it. This will help the couples therapy to progress more rapidly. Your counselor will likely guide you on this.
The three most important things to remember are: consult early, engage honestly in the process, and do the work. If you live in Ohio and are interested in online therapy, or are looking for in person counseling in the greater Akron, Ohio area, contact our intake team to help you find a couples counselor who is right for you.