The world is ever-changing and so are the expectations of marriage roles. Once upon a time, it was standard for men to provide and women to take care of the home and children. Today, the rules and standards are not so simple, and many couples find themselves struggling to stay committed. In fact, divorcing in today’s society is almost as common as marrying.
Statistically speaking – 45% of first marriages, 63% of second marriages, and 75% of third marriages end in divorce. If you are in a marriage and do not want to be a part of those alarming statistics, then read on for signs you may need marriage counseling to get back on track.
Signs You May Need Marriage Counseling
- You feel disconnected from your partner. People change over time and keeping a connection alive takes work. Perhaps you don’t have much fun together anymore. Or you think you’ve grown apart and aren’t very motivated to try to re-connect. Believe it or not, the most common reason people give for divorcing these days is “we just grew apart.”
- You avoid talking about problems because you think the other person will get mad and defensive or shut down and withdraw. So, you either sweep things under the rug or you end up fighting a lot. Either way, lack of productive communication can seriously hurt a marriage.
- You don’t trust your mate. Whether you suspect an affair, fight about money, or you think your partner would rather be doing something with anybody other than you – trust issues will deepen the divide if not addressed.
- The kids have left home, and you feel you are living with a stranger. You’ve focused so long on being parents that the relationship feels empty, and you don’t know what to do.
- You feel unappreciated, invisible, taken for granted, unheard or disrespected. You are lonely in your marriage, even though you see that person every day.
If any of these are resonating with you, then it’s time to consider marriage counseling. Good marriage therapy can teach you how to reduce and resolve conflict, as well as resurrect the passion and intimacy you’ve lost.
Unfortunately, most people wait until things get really bad before they decide to pursue marriage counseling. The longer you wait, the harder it is to recover from stuck patterns of behavior. I encourage you to come see me as soon as you can, so we can get to work on your marriage!