Relationships can be challenging. Over time, you or your partner may change, which can impact the nature of your relationship. Or, either of you may experience ordeals that take a toll on the partnership. Whatever the background circumstances, a psychiatrist can help with marital counseling sessions.
Marital counseling is a type of short-form psychotherapy focusing on the interpersonal problems of a couple. Notably, marriage counseling focuses on the couple together, not on just one individual. It looks at how the couple treats each other, how they view each other, and the dynamics of the relationship. Couples don't always seek out marital counseling because they have severe problems. Sometimes, they're simply looking to strengthen their partnership or learn new skills (such as communication styles).
Many couples choose to participate in marital counseling with a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist has extensive medical and mental health training to help both people address the interpersonal problems affecting the relationship.
How Marital Counseling Can Help
Marriage counseling reportedly has high rates of satisfaction from couples. One study reported that 97% of individuals surveyed about marital counseling said they got the help they needed. And, the American Psychological Association reports that couples therapy is approximately 75% effective.
Marriage counseling looks to provide the couple with a safe space for exploring and communicating through personal, intimate problems plaguing their relationship. A psychiatrist can be an unbiased third party offering perspective that isn't judgemental or one-sided. This third-party perspective can offer unique insight into issues around intimacy, responsibilities, infidelity, substance abuse, child-rearing preferences, anger, and more.
Does Marriage Counseling Work?
For the right couple, marital counseling is the very thing to save or significantly improve a relationship. However, the results will vary drastically from couple to couple. Firstly, both partners need to be open and willing to fully participate in marriage counseling. If one partner is showing up closed off, achieving any real results will be much harder. Additionally, couples who are in abusive relationships tend to see lower rates of success until that abuse stops.
Interestingly enough, for the couples that are willing, statistics show couples therapy often takes less time than individual treatment. It typically takes one third fewer sessions to accomplish a goal within marital counseling compared to individual therapy.
When to See a Psychiatrist for Marital Counseling
Marriage counseling has higher rates of success for couples that seek help early on. If a couple allows problems to develop, one person in the marital may already have given up on the relationship. Most psychiatrists recommend seeing help as soon as some problems or arguments repeatedly come up with no resolution.
Why See a Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental health conditions. A psychiatrist has all the mental health training of a psychologist or counselor, but can also prescribe medication. If you believe you or your partner will ultimately need medication, a psychiatrist may be the most appropriate choice.
Additionally, a psychiatrist may have the best expertise to handle a partner's existing mental health condition as it applies to the marital problems.
Expert Marital Counseling in Williamsville, Buffalo
Williamsville Psychiatry now offers marital counseling in Williamsville, Buffalo. Our experienced psychiatrists will help you understand your partner so that you can build a stronger, unified relationship that can withstand anything. We will give you the tools you need to be a better partner. Book your consultation with us today.