How can I get my partner to participate in couples therapy
Challenges arise in every relationship and overcoming them is made easier if you and your partner agree that couples therapy may be worth a try.
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A relationship is a beautiful, complex thing. At the best of times, it can feel like the easiest, most natural thing in the world. Those moments where we just click with our partner are what make loving relationships such an essential part of our lives.
Of course, most couples will go through patches where that mutual understanding becomes lost, for whatever reason. That’s only natural. The trick to a great relationship is being able to look past those moments and get right back on track!
To help your relationship stay on its correct path, it can help to understand the habits that are often found in successful partners. In this article, we take a look at some of the most common habits shown by happy couples and how these impact the relationship.
Every relationship goes through good and bad moments. Regardless of the weather, if you’re serious about making your relationship work, then you need to commit 100% to its success.
Commitment is often one of the first hurdles faced by a long-term couple. Once that so-called ‘honeymoon period’ is over, a loss of focus on your partner can lead to distance, which feeds into misunderstanding. Stay curious about your other half to ensure you remain on the same wavelength.
No relationship is without compromise. In fact, that act of compromising your own wants for the sake of your partner is the essence of a loving relationship and something that should be celebrated!
All good relationships thrive on compromise, but problems can arise when that sacrifice isn’t acknowledged or respected. To ensure jealousy doesn’t filter into your partnership, you must be open and honest about the decisions you’re making for the relationship.
Being lovey-dovey all the time is wonderful, but you would be forgiven for finding it exhausting. It’s in these lulling moments where finding friendship in your other half can bring you closer than ever before.
Friendship can mean different things to different people. Sometimes, it may just be someone to talk to about work over dinner. Other times, it may be someone that you can have unrestricted, childish fun with. Be that person for your partner, and you’ll quickly see how much closer you become with each other.
Honesty is the cornerstone of any successful relationship. It’s impossible to overstate this – honesty in every aspect is absolutely vital for any couple. Secrets and unspoken frustrations are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to break-ups, and it’s critical that these don’t become deep-rooted issues.
Dishonesty (e.g. secrets and frustrations) is something that often grows slowly throughout a troubled relationship. Thankfully, honesty is something that is easily introduced, no matter how far along the relationship road. In more challenging circumstances, online couples counselling can open the door to an open, successful relationship. At an earlier stage, merely having a talk about your grievances can help to bring smiles back into your love life.
Some say laughter is the essence of love itself, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Laughing is vital in our everyday happiness, and being able to share those moments with your partner can breathe fresh air into your romance.
For happy couples, sharing a joke with each other can feel like the most natural thing in the world. For others, though, it can be more challenging. If your relationship is in the latter category, then learning to open up is the first step. Lots of laughter is self-deprecating, and being honest with each other about your hopes and fears can lead to a deeper connection that enables a more joyful relationship.
Discover our blog on how to have more fun with your partner!
It makes the world go round, and also your relationship. That unexplainable feeling of affection and attraction is the engine for your partnership, and it needs to be fuelled as often as possible.
A happy, loving couple will not be afraid of spontaneous showings of affection. However, these moments only work when the relationship has the solid foundations mentioned in this article. Be honest with your hopes and expectations when it comes to romance, and you’ll have a much better understanding as to how you can bring that spark into your life.
Arguably the most important trait to any successful relationship is simply being open with yourself and each other. Openness should be the first stage of any relationship – honesty, friendship and love follow after.
The problem with openness is that is can lead to some frank and honest discussions and, potentially, some discomfort. However, if you’re serious about making your relationship stronger and more fruitful, these are conversations that you need to have to make your bond stronger.
Another trait that is continuously underestimated, successful couples excel at simply being present in each other’s lives. Spending time together is a major aspect of a healthy relationship, but presence goes beyond simply being there.
Being present for a happy couple means both physically and emotionally, and ties into the earlier points on commitment and openness. Being able to have meaningful conversations with each other and develop that understanding as people helps to create a healthier, more romantic bond.
Another vital aspect of a successful relationship that ties into many of the others mentioned here is respect. By having open and honest discussions and being present in each other’s lives, you will develop a deeper respect for your partner as a person, which can lead to stronger feelings of attraction.
There’s no shying away from it – intimacy is the foundation of any successful relationship. Love makes the world go round, but if you really want to get the wheels turning on your love life, it’s vital that you experience these pleasurable, intimate moments as much as possible.
As with many aspects on this list, sex can come easy to a happy couple but can be more challenging if you’re in a rough patch. To ensure you’re both getting maximum pleasure from your intimate moments, you need to have open, unrestricted discussions about the subject. Spicing up your love life genuinely transforms relationships, and it could do the same for you.
If your relationship is currently on a bumpy road, do not fear. Often, couples just need a guiding hand through these moments. Here at Remainly, our professionally-designed online couples counselling courses can facilitate vital discussions between you and your partner, helping to unlock any difficulties and return to being a happy couple!