Seeing A Marriage Counselor is Not Admitting Defeat...It's
Admitting There is Hope
Many people seem to think that marriage counseling is a last
resort when your marriage is crippled beyond repair. However,
the wise couple will seek marriage counseling as soon as they
come to the realization that their marriage is facing a problem
that neither of them have the experience to solve.
Because of their abiding love for each other, they are willing
to do whatever it takes to shore up the area of their marriage
that was affected by erosion.
Even though both spouses know that marriage counseling is an
important step, actually feeling comfortable with the counseling
is a whole different story.
It's often more difficult for men to seek outside help for their
relationships. They hate not being able to figure something out
on their own. Men, by nature, are trained to be independent and
self-sufficient. They would rather learn from doing than from
discussing. Therefore, it is more difficult for men to see a
therapist.
So if the idea of having a male therapist makes a big difference
to him, this would be good time to give in to his request.
For men who are uncomfortable with the thought of a one-on-one
session, many therapists say group therapy is a good starting
point. Sitting down in a group setting--with six to ten other
individuals--can address feelings of isolation and improve their
interpersonal skills.
Men in our culture typically have more fear of intimacy and are
uncomfortable when it comes to revealing their emotions.
By helping people share their concerns and fears, groups can
ease men past these barriers to problem solving. Therapy groups
with a narrow focus can be especially appealing to men.
Remember, do whatever it takes to make it as easy as possible to
seek counseling.
Your efforts will be well rewarded and you will realize that
your journey through counseling not only helped resolve your
initial concern, but your marriage relationship has broadened
and grown to newer heights.