6 Things That Lead Couples Into Therapy

Disclaimer: This article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.

While there are dramatic events that can happen to a couple, such as a financial downturn or infidelity, there are plenty of everyday reasons that can lead a couple to counseling.

Sometimes, people simply have different communication styles or their love languages  can cause them to come into conflict. 

No matter what’s happening in a relationship, there’s no right or wrong reason for considering couples therapy. Whatever reason a person may have for going to couples therapy is okay. Asking for support is a healthy step. But it’s not always easy to make the financial commitment to therapy. Although insurance may cover the cost of couples therapy or part of the cost, there may still be expenses to consider. 

One option for lowering the cost of sessions may be to consider online therapy, which can often be more economical than in-office sessions. If you’re interested in understanding more about how to manage these costs, BetterHelp has a helpful guide about how insurance works for couples therapy: 

www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/what-does-couples-therapy-insurance-cover/

In this article, we’ll delve into some of the most common reasons people give behind their decision to enter into couples therapy, and how therapy can help resolve these conflicts. 
Because They Want Strengthen Their Relationship

Many people go to therapy to strengthen their relationship, not because of some pressing problem or specific source of conflict with their partner. More than 70% of couples receiving therapy reported that their sessions resulted in having a positive impact. For anyone considering couples therapy, it’s important to know that couples therapy is often associated with strongly positive outcomes. 

1. Living With Addiction 

According to a recent poll, addiction affects more than two-thirds of people living in the United States. Those surveyed described having an addiction or having a family member living with addiction who experienced homelessness from drug use, a drug overdose, or death in the family. Whether you’re living with substance use disorder or your partner is, getting support for addiction is one of the healthiest steps you can take. 

2. Managing Life Changes

Change is part of life, but it can be even more complicated to manage the effects of change within a relationship. When one partner is struggling with unexpected events or life changes, the resulting difficulties may be felt by both partners. Working with a therapist can help a couple find more positive ways to reframe the negative effects of change and come out stronger. 

3. Fighting Over Children

When husbands and wives become parents, they often find themselves disagreeing with how to care for their children in the best way possible. Differing communication styles and differences in family backgrounds are two typical ways parents can come into conflict over their parenting methods. In couples therapy, parents can take time to understand where their partner is coming from and work on becoming a more united unit for their children. 

4. Differing Communication Styles Are Causing Conflicts

The quality of communication a couple experiences between them is so important to marital satisfaction that it has been studied by researchers. While quality of communication can vary for couples depending on the topic, the importance of communication cannot be understated. 

Learning to communicate effectively is one of the most important tools any couple can learn to help create a more satisfying relationship. 

5. Lost of Spark

Growing apart from a partner can happen in a lot of different ways. Sometimes, there’s a loss of feeling and emotional intimacy or there can be a loss in physical connection. In one study, sex was listed by more than 48% of participants as one of the reasons they entered into couples counseling. If disagreements on intimacy keep coming up on a regular basis, it could point to more conflict down the road. 

6. Trust Issues

All couples go through some form of conflict and have disagreements in their relationship including trust issues. Whether you’re in the beginning of your relationship or you feel things may be getting stale, speaking to a therapist is a healthy step to creating a better relationship for you and your partner.