It's not always easy to determine if you and your partner might benefit from receiving relationship counselling. Here are two reasons why you might want to consider seeking out this type of professional support.

To learn how to communicate in a healthier manner

Many of the problems that arise in romantic relationships are the result of people having poor communication skills. 

If, for example, your partner tends to use harsh, critical language when they disagree with something you have said or done, you may find yourself choosing not to tell them about certain aspects of your life, for fear of being judged. This could then lead to your partner feeling that you are being distant or secretive, which could then result in the development of trust issues.

Likewise, if both you and your partner have bad tempers, you may find that every disagreement you have leads to shouting and name-calling, which then causes resentment and makes it difficult to address and resolve the root cause of your arguments.

A relationship counsellor can help you and your partner to identify which elements of your communication styles are problematic. They can then offer alternative, healthier ways to express yourselves.

Provided you are willing to put their advice into practice, this should help you and your partner to speak to one another in a kinder and more honest manner. This, in turn, should help to create greater emotional intimacy and thus enable you to have a better overall relationship.

To address difficult topics in a safe environment

There are certain relationship problems which can be difficult to talk about openly with your partner (such as physical intimacy troubles or mental health issues). Because of this, you may find yourself trying to ignore these problems.

However, if a major issue within your relationship is allowed to fester for too long, it could lead to you feeling resentful. You may then find yourself expressing this resentment in passive-aggressive ways (such as starting arguments over petty, inconsequential matters, or giving your partner the silent treatment).

If this is something that you are currently struggling with, it may be worth going for relationship counselling, as it can often be easier to bring up difficult or sensitive subjects when you have a calm, neutral third party present in the room.

The presence of the counsellor can help to make you feel safe enough to speak your mind, as you know that this other person can step in and calm things down if the discussion between you and your partner becomes heated or awkward.

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