January 12
What to Expect from Couple’s Counseling
Many couples who are considering entering a counseling relationship with a professional feel intimidated by the unknown. What will be expected of me as an individual? Will the information that unfolds hurt rather than help my relationship? I don’t have any real issues, it’s my partner that has the problem! These are just a few of the questions and statements I hear from prospective patients.
What to Expect from Couple’s Counseling
- Explore the problem. The first plan of action is to assess the overall problem. What is your impression of the reason you are seeking therapy. This may not be the same for both individuals in the relationship.
- Explore feelings. The second plan of action is to explore each person’s feelings about the perceived problems. Most likely the feelings associated with the problems are in vast conflict. For example, one person may be having thoughts of divorce while the other is reeling with fears of abandonment.
- Explore communication styles. Effective communication is one of, if not the most, important attributes of a functioning, rewarding and healthy relationship. The third plan of action is to evaluate previous and current styles of communication and explore alternative methods of communication that can improve each person’s ability to express him or her self as well as to receive information from the other partner.
- Explore conflict resolution techniques. Understanding how to express and hear intimacy is only half the “battle.” Learning how to reach mutually agreed upon conclusions to conflict is a critical to the emotional health of each person in the relationship.
- Explore psychological profile of each person. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the couple, the therapist will usually need to see each individual separately as well. Certain needs, feelings and fears are often only expressed within the privacy of a one-on-one consult with the therapist and individual. These one-on-ones can benefit the couple’s relationship as the therapist gains an understanding of who each person is as an individual within the relationship.
- Explore family histories. Our family history is the curriculum from which we learn how to exist in relationships. Both individual’s family histories will be explored so that an understanding of what attributes of childhood are no longer of service to the adult person having adult experiences. Oftentimes, unhealthy belief systems are unconsciously at play in our lives and relationships. Bringing these to light is the first step in eliminating hurtful behavioral patterns.
- Explore personality types. Gaining a basic understanding of each person’s unique personality provides a profound foundation from which to understand effective modes of communicating with one another.
- Explore how, what and whom to forgive. Through therapy couples learn how to begin the process of forgiveness.
The role of the therapist is not to be the moral authority of either person in the relationship or of the relationship itself, but rather to provide a professionally guided process based on proven techniques to assist the couple in individual and collective recovery.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Humphrey today! 972-239-2490
CREDENTIALS
- Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology: Fielding Graduate University
- Master of Music in Piano Performance: University of Notre Dame
- Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance: Southern Methodist University
- License No. and State: 32345 Texas
- Board of Trustees, Dallas Foundation for Psychoanalysis
- Chair, Arts Committee for the Dallas Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology
- Member, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology
