If your relationship is not where you want it to be, you aren’t sure how to make it better or even if you even want to, couples therapy is the best next step. Even if you ultimately decide that you want to end the relationship, couples therapy helps you to understand yourself and your partner and make better, well-thought-out choices.

Couples therapy helps individuals rebuild a relationship together by providing tools for better communication, resolving conflicts and differences and even helps keep you on track when you argue.

There are many causes for stress in a relationship. Sometimes there are specific issues such as an affair, sexual difficulties, conflicts about child rearing, cultural differences, blended families. Other times there is a gradual fading of romance, a lack of interest and caring, a case of two people growing more and more distant.

Some partners hope that relationship problems will disappear. Left on its own a bad relationship usually gets worse and creates additional stress and unhappiness for each of the partners. Children, family members and job performance outside of the marriage can suffer as well when a relationship is in trouble.

Marriage therapy can help couples that plan to marry to resolve differences before the wedding. It is useful as well for couples wanting to strengthen their bond and understand themselves and each other better.

If your partner refuses to attend couples therapy sessions, go on your own. You can benefit from learning more about yourself and your relationship. Change in one partner always affects the whole relationship. They may even see the change that you have made in your own self and want to change for themselves as well.