Individual Therapy for Relationship Issues

Individual therapy is normally viewed as a way to address personal problems. While that’s certainly true, individual therapy can also be used to improve your relationship with your partner. In fact, individual therapy can be one of the most effective ways to resolve relationship conflicts and improve communication.

Often people refuse to participate in couple therapy. There are several reasons why they refuse to go. Everything from denial to embarrassment. Their refusal can also stem from a lack of trust in the therapeutic process. They may feel that it won’t do any good or that their problems are too big to solve. Thankfully, couple therapy is not the only option.

When spouses/partners refuse to go to therapy together, individual therapy can still help improve the relationship. In fact, individual therapy is often recommended for couples who are struggling to resolve conflicts. One of the main benefits of individual therapy is that it can help you to explore your own personal issues that might be affecting your relationship.

Benefits of individual therapy on your relationship

Here are a few of the ways individual therapy can help you improve your relationship with your spouse/partner:

• Develop better communication skills.  One of the main problems in many relationships is poor communication. Individual therapy can help you to learn better communication skills. Good communication skills do not involve only expressing your own thoughts and feelings, but also having good listening skills. Actively listening to your partner and trying to understand them can go a long way towards any conflict resolution.
• Be more present.  If you find you are distracted and not fully present when interacting with your spouse/partner, developing mindfulness can help. Learning to pay attention is key to active listening and healthy communication. Being more fully present in your relationship enables you to "be in the moment" that can result in better decisions.
• Learning how to fight fair.  In any relationship, there will be disagreements. How you handle those disagreements can go a long way in determining whether or not your relationship will last. One of the things that individual therapy can help you with is learning how to fight fair. This means that you argue in a constructive way and do not resort to name-calling, blaming, or trying to coerce the other.
• Become a happier person.  Individual therapy can also help to make you a happier person. When you are happier, your relationships are likely to benefit too. Being happy does not mean that you will never have any problems in your relationship. However, it does mean that you will be more equipped to handle those problems in a constructive way.
• Become a better parent.  If you are considering having children or already have them, individual therapy can help you to become a better parent. Being a good parent is not only about providing for your child’s physical needs, but also their emotional needs. Individual therapy can help you to learn how to be a more emotionally present parent and how to deal with any emotional issues that might arise.
• Share what you learn with your partner.  If your partner is unwilling to go to therapy with you, you can still get a lot out of individual therapy. In fact, you might be able to share some of the techniques that you learned in therapy with them. This can help to improve communication and resolve conflicts in a more constructive way.
• Influence your partner to go to couples therapy.   There is no guarantee that your partner will change their mind about going to couples therapy, but it is possible. If they see how much individual therapy has helped you and how it has made you a happier, more balanced person, they may be more willing to give it a try.
• Maintain a focus on you.  Individual therapy can be an extremely effective way to improve your relationship with your partner. Even if they are unwilling to go to therapy with you, individual therapy can still help. Therapy can help you to explore your own personal issues and dynamics that might be affecting your relationship. It can also provide a safe space for you and your partner to discuss any problems or concerns that you might have.

If you are experiencing issues that are negatively impacting your relationship with a loved one, please contact me for a free consultation or to schedule an appointment. Becoming a better version of yourself can have a positive influence on your relationship with your spouse/partner.