Every couple fights. If you’ve ever been in a relationship, this is a fact that you are well aware of. Whether you find yourself arguing in Ikea over what size pots to get for your flowers, or you’re at home screaming plates against the wall in rage. Arguments come in all shapes and sizes, and while some disagreements are healthy to have in a relationship, an escalated argument can only cause damage for your relationship. Most couples don’t even think to seek out couples counseling for their relationship until things are already rocky. There are so many reasons why you should seek out couples counseling for your relationship much earlier than that, as well!

Help communicating

 

Some couples have a difficult time communicating, and this is actually an incredibly normal snag in most relationships. Growing up, the way that a couple communicated in a relationship was probably learned by how your parents communicated and argued. Your romantic partner learned how to communicate the same way. But every couple is different, and so the chances that both you and your partner learned the same set of communication skills while growing up, is rare. There are probably some aspects of communication you both possess that are great, but a therapist can help you navigate this and create better communication habits for both of you.

 

Navigating difficult aspects of your relationship

 

Debt, family relationships, career changes, and education are all small things that can create huge rifts in your relationship. Is there one subject that is kind of touchy to bring up at home? You know the one. You cringe when they bring it up, and try to brush it away and change the topic because you don’t want to have that fight right now? This leads back to communication, but sometimes having a therapist be a mediator can be so helpful to navigate these difficult areas of your relationship.

 

Managing healthy expectations

 

Before entering a relationship, most people have an “ideal” relationship in their mind that they are seeking out. Rarely does a relationship perfectly fit this ideal mold. It isn’t that you or your partner have unrealistic expectations for how you deserve to be treated, but it’s possible that you don’t have healthy expectations. Or that you aren’t matching these expectations with your partner. You can find a way to compromise and also how to express your love to your partner in a way that is most effective to them, as well as to you.