Home as part of the Equation in Marriage Counseling
Fred and Tammy entered marriage counseling because of their near constant arguing and backbiting. Both felt they were at their wit’s end and if this went on much longer, they would separate. As Fred and Tammy gave the couples counselor an idea of their daily living, it became clear that some changes needed to be made in their home.
According to Fred:
Our place is a mess. With 2 kids under four years old, there are toys strewn everywhere. We started redecorating before Sam, our second boy, was born…but we never finished it. So our living room is off-limits. The mail is everywhere. I can never find bills when I sit down to pay them. It’s chaos. Our house is chaos. And its like the chaos is seeping into our marriage. Neither of us likes the idea of being at home. I look forward to work now just because its more organized there! Something needs to be done.
Fred was right. Something did need to be done. While the couple did need to address the way they were communicating with one another, they also had to make their lives more orderly, so there wasn’t so many external factors coming into play.
The counselor suggested a game plan. First they needed to address their half-finished living room, which they did with the aid or a friend who was a construction worker and decorator. Secondly, they hired a house cleaner for a weekly call. After several months, their house seemed more sane and orderly. They found their arguments lessening. Again, there were still communication issues that needed fleshed out, but there was an “outside in” approach called for in addition.
Related Posts
- Marital Counseling – Taking the Stigma Out of the Equation
- How a Peaceful Home can Help your Marriage
- Plans in Place at Home, Before Counseling
- Making Room for Couples Counseling at Home
- What Do Home Improvement Projects Say About Your Marriage?
