Communicating in Marriage Counseling
Sherilee and Matt had their share of communication problems. Over the years their lack of communication and lack of listening had brought about a number of mishaps and hurt feelings that had grown into resentment and anger. An inability to hear each other or communicate effectively had brought their marriage to a standstill.
When Matt became completely disconnected from the marriage he stopped trying to communicate at all, leading to a resurgence of anger and mistrust that had begun years ago with infidelity.
Sherrilee said:
We weren’t talking, we weren’t laughing, we weren’t even really fighting. I just knew that he had started seeing someone else, like he did when we were first married. The behaviors were the same and, frankly, if Matt wasn’t with me, then he was with someone else. That’s just how I felt.
The marriage counselor realized the depth and complexity of this communication problem and how it had been affecting the marriage for many years. Matt was non-communicative, even during counseling sessions, and appeared disinterested and withdrawn. Matt had shut down emotionally from the marriage, but also, the counselor noted, from everything else. The counselor suggested individual therapy for what he suspected was a depression disorder.
By the time the marriage counseling sessions were over it was discovered that Matt had not been seeing anyone else and had not been unfaithful again, but was instead suffering from depression, which was exacerbating an already troubled marriage.
Marriage counseling helped this couple get back on track and start talking again in a way that was meaningful and helpful to their relationship.
Related Posts
- Are You Communicating Enough?
- The Importance of Relaxing while Communicating
- Marriage Counselors Concentrate on Listening
- Marriage, Depression and Counseling
- Marriage Couseling and Communication Forms
