The Marriage Counseling Blog

The terms “couples counseling” and “marriage counseling” are often used interchangeably. Most of us immediately understand the need for both but the dynamic and therapeutic process remains the same.

According to one paper:

The term “couple therapy” has recently come to replace the historically more familiar and limiting term “marital therapy” because of its emphasis on the link and bond between two people, without the associated judgmental tone of social value implied by the more traditional term. We ourselves have followed this contemporary convention, along with others . In the therapy literature, the two terms are overwhelmingly used interchangeably. The word “couple” has been intended to mean, in effect, “committed, but not `married’ in the legal sense.” With some important exceptions, the relevant literature and clinical practices considered here, whether dealing with therapy or prevention, rarely address committed, nontraditional intimate relationships. The terms are the same, but different. Whether therapeutic methods operate similarly or differently with “couples” vs. “marriages” is presently unknown. For our present purposes, we assume that they do operate similarly.

So if you are a couple experiencing difficulties but feel couples counseling is a process meant for married couples alone, think again. The main focus in this day and age is the dynamic between a couple not their marital status. A couple of only 6 months can experience the same difficulties as a couple of 6 years.

Ultimately, the issues at hand stem from individuals and usually these issues have a long history, prior to your partner’s arrival. Don’t suffer in silence. If your relationship is having difficulty, seek help from a trained professional. You’ll be glad you did.

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