Marriage counselling
Marriage counselling or marriage guidance counselling as it is sometimes known, is a form of relationship counselling. The focus of marriage counselling is to improve communication between spouses and address specific issues that are causing relationship problems.
Unlike individual counselling, this form of talking therapy sees a marriage counsellor work with both partners in the relationship. Fundamental to the process is the need for both parties to engage with the counsellor and each other.
On this page you can find out more information about marriage counselling with The Spark, including:
- How marriage counselling can help your relationship
- What to expect from marriage counselling
- Our ethos of marriage counselling for all
- Resources and useful links
How marriage counselling can help your relationship
Marriage counselling aims to provide couples with the chance to examine in depth the relationship issues that are causing problems. Communication issues, major life events and the general challenges of maintaining a happy marriage are common reasons for couples to seek marriage counselling.
Counselling focuses on establishing a safe, non-judgemental space where a couple can talk openly about the issues troubling them. In counselling all perspectives are valid and by working with an impartial, supportive counsellor couples can begin to explore and understand their own feelings and emotions.
The motivations to try counselling are specific to each relationship however there are a number of common issues:
- Communication problems
- Trust, jealousy and infidelity within marriage
- Major life events like starting a family, infertility, bereavement and redundancy
- Financial issues
- Parenting challenges
- Family conflict
- Losing your connection as a couple/ falling out of love with each other.
Marriage counselling is not exclusively for marriage breakdown or relationships in crisis. Married couples are increasingly using counselling as a way to guard against relationship issues escalating. At The Spark we highly recommend addressing issues in any marriage early before they become major problems.
Make a counselling enquiry online, find your local counselling centre or freephone 0800 802 0050 for more information.
What to expect from marriage counselling
A popular misconception is that marriage counselling involves a counsellor advising a couple on what to do and how to ‘fix’ their marriage problems. A marriage counsellor will never judge your circumstances or dictate how to progress your relationship.
Marriage counselling is a process where an impartial counsellor will help to facilitate communication and guide a couple to their own conclusions. Ultimately it is a process of helping a couple gain insight in to their relationship and determine the best way forward.
Taking your marriage through counselling might require ‘work’ to be done outside of counselling sessions. It will be unique to each couple but often involves setting aside time for each other, changing existing patterns of behaviour or discussing specific topics.
Make a counselling enquiry online, find your local counselling centre or freephone 0800 802 0050 for more information.
Marriage counselling for all
Counselling for married couples with The Spark is available to couples living in Scotland. Irrespective of your or your partner’s gender, the length of your marriage, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion our marriage counsellors are available to help.
We are proud to be a COSCA accredited counselling provider. All of our counsellors have been trained to diploma level with many having advanced qualifications in specific modalities of marriage counselling. Every counsellor working for The Spark is an accredited member of one or more professional bodies including BACP, COSCA and OTI. Thus assuring clients of the highest professional and clinical standards.