Is your relationship caught in what feels like the same old cycle?
At Marler Counseling, we understand that communication is essential for a healthy and fulfilling relationship. We're here to support you in improving your communication skills and building a stronger bond with your partner.
Does it feel like your conversations often end up in the same endless cycle?
Even though the topic is different, does it feel like the interaction pattern and knee-jerk reactions are still the same old pattern and the end result is an escalation to the point of angry words and/or withdrawn distance?
Why is Communication Important in Relationships?
Communication is the foundation of any strong relationship. It allows couples to share their thoughts, feelings, and needs with each other. It also helps couples to resolve conflict, build trust, and create intimacy.
Common Communication Challenges in Couples
Many couples face challenges with communication, including:
Poor listening skills
Difficulty expressing emotions
Passive-aggressive communication
Criticism and blame
Defensiveness
We work with couples that are caught in this dance - a dance that they don’t seem in control of – a dance that blocks their attempts to meaningfully connect. We help them de-escalate this damaging cycle and establish a healthier and safer atmosphere. The good news is that it is not one’s partner that is the enemy in this dance, it is the dance itself – a pattern of triggered responses – that is the actual enemy. Couples typically feel very empowered as they join together to combat this common enemy and bring it to its knees.
How Couples Counseling Can Help
Couples counseling can help you improve your communication skills and address the underlying issues that are contributing to your communication problems. Our therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a proven-effective approach that helps couples:
Identify negative communication patterns
Develop healthier communication skills
Express their emotions more effectively
Resolve conflict more constructively
Build a stronger emotional bond
After this destructive pattern has been de-energized, we then work with the couple to build a loving bond with roots that go down into deep emotional places – a place where safety and empathy allow fears and vulnerabilities to be shared and support to be received. These roots are at the core of what makes couples that have gone through Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) resilient.
Benefits of Improving Communication in Your Relationship
When you improve your communication skills, you can:
Reduce conflict
Increase intimacy
Build trust
Create a more satisfying relationship
Years after therapy, research has shown that the majority of couples have retained the benefits of EFT therapy – those close deep intimate bonds that make couples communication take on a whole new form. In fact from research it has been empirically shown that couples had improved relationship satisfaction 2–3 years following treatment (Cloutier, Manion, Walker, & Johnson, 2002; Halchuk, Makinen, & Johnson, 2010; Wiebe et al., in press)
If you're struggling with communication in your relationship, we encourage you to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced therapists.
Marler Counseling - Couples Communication Therapist in Denver, CO
