Getting marriage help is often a difficult decision. In our society, needing help is often seen as a failure. The truth is everyone needs help at times, and even the best marriages did not get that way without outside help of some type. If your marriage is on the verge of collapse, or you just want to bring back the love and intimacy you used to have, it’s never too early or too late to seek help with your marriage.
Signs You Need Marriage Help
One sure sign your marriage needs help is a lack of healthy communication. Do you avoid speaking to each other? Do you frequently get angry and say inappropriate things? Are you afraid to bring up issues in your relationship? Communication is at the core of a healthy relationship. Without it, the relationship is doomed to eventual failure.
Another sign is the lack of positive interaction. Marriages have a high success rate if their ratio of positive to negative interaction is 5 to 1 or better. Think about how you and your spouse interact. Are you constantly fighting or giving each other the cold shoulder? Do you have more good moments than bad moments? As humans, if something isn’t pleasurable in some way, we will lose the will to do it over time. Positive interactions help keep love alive, but they also keep the motivation alive, which is just as important.
Self Help
Self-help is often the first place people seek help for their marriage. It keeps it private, allowing you to learn strategies and identify problems on your own. It can aid in your understanding of your relationship and help you improve it. However, if you don’t see quick success or get overwhelmed with the number of problems in your relationship, you may find yourself giving up on self-help. Choose books, podcasts, and videos that you find enjoyable and meaningful to increase your chances of succeeding.
Marriage Counseling
Marriage counseling is often the last resort, and it shouldn’t be. This is likely due to the stigma of admitting you need help with your marriage. When your car breaks down, you take it to an expert. Why should your marriage be treated with any less care? Marriage counseling can help you get your marriage back on track. Marriage counseling has a positive impact on about 70% of couples, which gives your relationship a fighting chance. The biggest issue with marriage counseling is most couples wait too long to seek it out. Couples wait an average of six years in an unhappy marriage before seeking marriage counseling.
Relationship Apps
Relationship apps don’t replace marriage counseling. However, they can give you guidance and help you make small changes that have a big impact. Relish provides you with your own relationship coach. Think of it as similar to a personal trainer. They won’t replace your doctor, but a personal trainer can help you achieve and maintain your health goals. Relish can help you reach and maintain your marriage goals, without a huge time commitment or a weekly appointment.