Thursday, May 14, 2020

Parenting Pointers: Online Counseling, Part 2

This is the second in a four-part series.

In the first post, I briefly mentioned feeling the need for counseling more acutely when cooped up together. I also said even those in strong relationships can benefit from counseling But how exactly does it help?
Right now, it can be hard to talk to others for a variety of reasons. We're conditioned to put on a happy face, so it can feel embarrassing to talk about problems or struggles, even though everyone has them. We also might not want to burden other people - after all, we're all going through some version of changed routines, so it can be hard to feel comfortable complaining to others who are struggling. In addition, we might not know exactly how to say what we need.
Online counseling can benefit by simply giving us someone to talk to. As trained professionals, online counselors are there to listen, and to help determine ways to solve issues. They know when to just provide a listening ear, and when to offer advice. For couples, having a third party person can help mediate issues. Because they've heard a lot of couples, they have a wealth of experience and training to draw on.
If you're in an already strong relationship, counselors can help you recognize those strengths, and be aware of potential pitfalls. They can help build an even stronger foundation, so that if troubles do come, couples have a stronger basis to weather challenges. Couples that are contemplating a change in relationship (whether that's moving towards marriage or towards divorce) can benefit from having an independent person helping navigate that change and approaching it with the best possible light on the situation.
Relationship struggles can affect mental health, so couples counseling can have a positive effect on overall mental health as well. It can help make one element of life less stressful, to allow you to focus on other areas.
Having another party involved, especially a trained professional, can really help improve communication. Many couples struggle with effective communication, especially about issues where there might be tension. A third party can be more objective and less emotional, allowing them to help mediate conflict in a neutral way - not only when there are issues, but also with setting up patterns of stronger communication for the future to avoid issues spiraling out of control.
Everybody's relationship changes at some point as couples grow and change, and couples counselors can help work through those changes so that they don't hurt the relationship, and so that both parties have a stronger sense of love and trust even as life changes around them.

There are many benefits to couples counseling, and some benefits unique to online counseling. It can be easier to schedule, since you don't have to drive somewhere to do it. It can be more convenient. And it also opens up a broader range of counselors than what's available in your immediate geographic area.

To learn more about the benefits of online therapy, you can check out this article: https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/free-online-therapy-could-save-your-relationship/

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