Couples Counseling

Would You Like To Feel Confident And Secure About Your Relationship?

Are you a couple who needs help navigating differences and overcoming problems in your relationship or marriage? Do you plan on taking your relationship to the next level and want support for heading off any potential issues before you tie the knot?

Perhaps you were recently engaged or married and you’re having trouble overcoming communication issues and other obstacles that you weren’t prepared for. Or maybe you’ve become first-time parents or a blended family and you need help navigating the new and evolving dynamics of your relationship.

Relationship problems can manifest differently for everyone. You may be stuck in a cycle of poor communication that makes you wonder what you have to say or do to get through to your partner. Perhaps you can’t talk about anything without arguing, so neither of you feels validated, heard, or understood.

If you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, you may be navigating social, cultural, and political hurdles that place a unique strain on your relationship or marriage. And if you’re bringing two families together, you’re likely butting heads with your spouse as you’re establishing boundaries and trying to figure out just exactly what your place is in the family.

At this point, you’re probably worrying about your future thinking, “Did I make the right choice?”

Any time you combine the lives of two people, it’s bound to create conflict and tension. Fortunately, our compassionate, specially trained therapists at Key Counseling Group can offer you and your partner objective guidance and support for deepening your connection and overcoming adversity within your relationship together.

It’s Not Just You—Relationships Are Naturally Complicated

Moving in with someone, getting married, or combining lives can be an exhilarating and fun experience. But it can also be scary and present some of the toughest challenges a relationship will ever face. The truth is, even the happiest, most committed relationships run into problems. And though all couples argue—and “fighting” in itself isn’t a bad thing—not knowing how to communicate effectively, resolve conflict, and answer the needs of a partner can be detrimental.

Unfortunately, many people don’t adequately prepare for what living with each other or getting married truly entails, thus laying the groundwork for challenges neither person may know how to address. Tradition and cultural messages put pressure on couples to have the perfect wedding, dress, ring, and venue.

Movies and novels perpetuate the idea of soulmates and effortless happiness. And social media makes everyone else’s homes, family lives, and children look flawless. It’s as if no one is willing to share how hard it really is to be a healthy couple, a good parent, and a loving spouse.

And without the communication tools, support system, or even the time to repair their relationship, most couples find it difficult to overcome problems on their own. That’s why working with a couples counselor can be so empowering.

With our help, you can stop wondering what went wrong and start finding solutions for moving forward with your relationship in whatever direction that takes you.

Couples Counseling Offers You Objective, Practical Ways To Enhance Your Relationship

Many individuals who struggle with an unhappy relationship or marriage naturally turn to friends and family for advice, which—despite their good intentions—can be biased. But working with a trained marriage/couples counselor gives you access to an objective third party who will listen to your story and validate your concerns without any kind of personal agenda.

We’ll help you press pause on the busyness of life so you can “get present,” work on yourselves, and invest in your relationship. And we’ll offer you communication and conflict resolution tools that will help you identify and meet each other’s needs. People say marriage and relationships take work—counseling is where you learn to do that work.

Prior to scheduling our first meeting, we’ll have a brief phone consultation with you as a couple to ensure that you and your therapist are a great fit. Then, during our initial session, you’ll meet with your counselor as a couple for a look back at your history together and a general assessment for identifying concerns and goals you have for the relationship.

Next, each person will have a chance to “talk without any filter” in an individual therapy session sharing what they see as the greatest obstacles holding their relationship back. During this individual time, we will also explore your family of origin and its impact on the relationship. After these three initial assessment sessions, you’ll resume couples therapy together to begin the real work on your marriage and learn tools to build relationship skills and cultivate a deeper awareness of each other’s vulnerabilities.

Couples run into problems for all sorts of reasons, so we want to get to the root of what’s really going on. That may mean looking at your relationship history, family background, and any adverse experiences that may have shaped fears, needs, or expectations at the heart of your disconnect. Once we understand the source of conflict, we’ll create an individualized treatment plan, drawing upon the work of leading researchers in the field of couples counseling.

For instance, we use John Gottman’s science-based tools and interventions to help clients improve communication and resolve conflict. Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps build intimacy and connection through emotional vulnerability. And Terry Real’s work offers a rigorous yet commonsense approach to navigating the ups and downs of intimate relationships.

In the event that you’re considering separation or divorce, we also offer discernment counseling to help you and your spouse explore options and decide what is best for each of you. That said, with the tools and guidance your therapist can provide, we are confident that you and your partner can make subtle changes in your everyday lives that will repair your relationship and ultimately help you grow closer.

Even if your partner doesn’t want to engage in therapy, it only takes one person to make a change. Though therapy is typically the most effective when two people wholeheartedly work together, the truth is, change begets change—and the effort of one person working hard will, itself, produce a shift in your relationship.

So, whether with your partner or on your own, if you are committed to healing, growing, and using the skills you learn to navigate the road ahead—change is possible.

Perhaps you are considering couples counseling but still have some concerns…

What if our schedule gets in the way of sessions?

One of the biggest problems couples face is the lack of time, whether for self-care or for tending to their relationship. For that reason, we offer online counseling services, in-person couples sessions, or a hybrid of both, making it easier for both of you to find time to meet up. And if you’ve scheduled an in-person appointment that you can’t make it to in time, we can always meet online instead. The important thing is to prioritize your relationship and give it the attention it deserves.

I think my partner is a little intimidated by couples therapy.

A unique aspect of our practice is the initial, 30-minute phone consultation we use to introduce couples to the therapeutic process and to help them connect with a therapist on a human level. During that “mini-session,” we can answer any questions, discuss the overarching concerns for the relationship, and determine if we are the best fit for you.

If your partner is still uncertain, that’s okay. There’s absolutely no pressure to schedule an appointment. However, if you do decide to work with us, rest assured, we will never take sides, judge, or point the finger at anyone.

We had a couples therapist in the past that did more harm than good.

Unfortunately, any therapist can work with couples. However, without the proper training to address a couple’s unique relational dynamics, their efforts can often have a negative impact.

Our couples therapists work primarily with couples—it is their passion, and they are always continuing their education in the most researched modalities for healing and repairing relationships. Key Counseling Group has no agenda other than improving the health of your relationship, determining what makes you happy, and helping you find a way to get there.

Let Us Help You Renew Your Connection With The One You Love

If you’re tired of feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your relationship, Key Counseling Group can help. Please email us or call 678-400-9477 for your free consultation to see how our approach to couples counseling can help you resolve conflict, improve communication, and deepen your intimacy.