Learning how to communicate is important for all of our relationships, especially with our partners. When we state our needs in a way that can be clearly understood, there is a much higher likelihood of our needs being met. Fine tuning our communication skills is how we learn to overcome unproductive patterns of communication and interaction, and move beyond unresolved relationship issues.

Couples Counselling helps both parties to meet each others' needs, whether it is:

• Understanding and resolving conflicts
• Improving the relationship financially, emotionally and sexually
• Learning to communicate better
• Negotiating differences
• Problem solving
• Learning to disagree in a healthier way
• Sometimes the need is simply finding a way to rejoin after becoming separated within the relationship.

A relationship should do more to improve the quality of your life together, rather than compromise it. It’s good to compromise, but that should not involve losing the essence of what makes you who you are. Couples Counselling can assist you to nurture your relationship but still develop the beauty of who you are.

Your Relationship may need help if:

* Communications between the partners often take on a negative tone and result in hostility or antagonistic encounters
* Communications are so bad that most talks about marriage problems end up in arguments
* Marriage problems have led to violent outbursts or physical fighting
* Marital troubles cause depression, anxiety, insecurities, loss of self-esteem or withdrawal
* One or both partners avoids or withdraws from the other, or develops a lifestyle that leaves out the other
* There are sexual problems in the relationship that cannot seem to be solved and the sexual problems cause negative feelings or frustration
* Either marital partner has been unfaithful or is seriously considering having an affair
* A couple agrees together that they have marriage problems and do not know how to change things or solve their differences
* A spouse acts out feelings with actions that are mean, hateful or resentful
* Partners are staying together "for the sake of the children"

Conflict Resolution is an area where Couples Counselling can help to resolve ongoing disagreements. All relationships are inherent to conflict and struggle. It's unrealistic to think you are going to be in one with no obstacles. Effective conflict resolution is a key component to relationship longevity. By learning how to successfully negotiate conflicts, both parties tend to feel more satisfied with the relationship. Conflict resolution in Couples Counselling is a specialised intervention that aims to help both people feel that they are being heard and their needs are being met.

Couples Counselling can improve intimacy by developing strategies to maintain and strengthen the relationship commitment, revitalise the intimate bond between partners, and improve the overall quality of the relationship or marital satisfaction. This is often the area where sexual differences come into play and where intimacy and sexuality may need to be redefined.

Co-parenting Counselling is a specialisation within the field of Couples Therapy, in which parents who are no longer in an intimate relationship but are seeking counselling to improve their ability to work together to raise their children. Co-parenting therapy can help things go smoother and reduce difficulties in child rearing.

The Counselling process will help you learn how to communicate and resolve your conflicts in healthy, life-affirming way, it will also promote a depth of understanding and compassion when interacting with your partner. Anyone concerned about their relationship can seek support, whether married, living together, in a same sex relationship, separated or single. The relationship might have been past, present or in the future. Whatever your situation, Counselling can help!

The Online Counselling Service Relationship tips:

Maintaining Respect. One of the most important factors in a relationship is respect for your partner. There may be times when you are angry, or frustrated in your relationship. As long as you can continue to respect your partner as a person, you will manage to get through these feelings.

Communicate. Communication is key in any relationship. Expressing yourself is usually a positive, it is just the way in which it is done that can be harmful. We need to learn to not only share the wide range of problems that we face from day to day, but to try to share the good news – the fun things that happen, the pleasant surprises that we experience, so that our partners see both sides of life in us. The positive energy can rub off onto them!

Be Tolerant. At times one partner will have different views or maybe different values. The aim is to work together to understand and accept differences rather than struggle to change your partner.

Be Supportive. As we develop as individuals we need our partner’s support rather than criticism. Finding ways to ask for and give support can be challenging at times, but we are guaranteed to produce more productive outcomes if we are supportive, rather than being critical or always complaining.

Adapt to Change. So many things happen in our lives, changing jobs, buying a home or moving house, having children, coping with sick parents, illness – we need to adjust to each of these milestones both as individuals and as one half of the couple. The easier we can adapt, the easier it will be on the relationship. Change is growth!

Children. Most long term relationships may have included the raising of children. While children are a positive addition to the couple's relationship, it is important not to make them the only reason for your relationship. They should enhance the relationship, not consume it! Otherwise, when the children leave, what is going to happen? What will be left of your relationship? Children are a blessing, they also deserve to be raised in a positive, secure and loving environment, If you heal  your relationship as a couple, you increase life chances for your children.

Spend time apart. In order to remain an individual as well as a partner in a relationship, it is important to have time away to “be oneself” – this doesn’t mean having to be apart for days, or even a night – it could just be a walk on your own, or a room to sit in alone now and then. At times we need our own personal space to reflect on ourselves.

Spend time together. At times couples may settle into relationship life and take part in less of the fun and interesting things they once did. It is important to set time aside, to "keep the spark alive", do things together, enjoy each others company, as friends and as well as partners. Quality time, no matter how short can make a huge difference to any relationship.

If you are interested in receiving Couples counselling from professional Counsellors or Psychotherapists feel free to book a couples counselling session, we are here to help!

"The Online Counselling Service, Your Pathway to Personal Freedom"