If you’re wondering, “Should I ask my partner to go to couples’ therapy?”, this is the guide for you. You can’t force anyone to do anything but you can talk to your partner about it. It’s best to understand your partner’s concerns first, however.
Here are the best marriage counseling tips to learn how to convince someone to go to therapy.
Avoid Blame
The best thing to do for your partner is to be open about wanting to talk to a professional about your relationship. However, the last thing you want to do is cast blame. Avoid using the relationship’s issues as the overarching reason for couples therapy.
Start by asking your partner if it’s a good time to talk. If it isn’t, give them time before ambushing them with more information. You can suggest a specific time to speak to your partner to make sure that the conversation happens.
Take Accountability
If you’ve made your own mistakes within your relationship, take ample accountability. Start the conversation acknowledging your faults and what you’ve contributed to the relationship. Be sure to ask your partner if there is anything you might have missed.
You don’t want to feel more disconnected or like you’re walking on eggshells around your S.O.
The two of you should have a list of problems that you can bring up to the relationship counselor. That will help them offer valuable tools and skills that’ll help your relationship. Starting with yourself is always better than venting about your partner for hours.
Do Your Research
Tell your partner the type of counselor you find after doing some research. Draft a list of therapists with the best reviews and who work specifically with couples. You could also send emails to your top choices to introduce yourself and find out more about how they work.
Explain to your S.O why you’ve selected those therapists and listen to their perspective. It is important that the counselor works best for both of you versus one over the other. After the first session, both of you can decide if you want to continue or find a new counselor.
Be Open-Minded
Whenever you sit down to talk to your partner, give them time to express themselves. Try not to interrupt them and give them enough time to respond. Remind your partner why the marriage or relationship is important to you and list the things that are going well.
Be open-minded if your partner does not feel comfortable going to therapy. Hear them out and ask questions. At the end of the conversation, if they are still uncomfortable with speaking to a professional, give them more time to reconsider.
Agree to Disagree
It’s important to know when to agree to disagree in any relationship. Understand that their concerns make sense as your concerns do. And take time to stand in their shoes before isolating them or their feelings.
After you express your understanding, explain why couples counseling is important to you. You and your partner will most likely agree on the reasons why you love each other. But you can also agree to disagree on the issues that the relationship has (without fighting).
Will I Convince My Partner to Go to Therapy
Knowing how to convince someone to go to therapy takes patience. You can try to understand your partner’s views on marriage counseling without a fight. And you can address your concerns in a win-win approach before starting any therapy.
You’ll be grateful to finally say, “My partner and I are in a healthy and loving relationship.” once you start couples counseling today!