If a couple has a problem they have been unable to resolve on their own and one or both continue to be distressed about it, they should consider seeing a counselor. Characteristically, however, couples wait too long before getting professional help for relationship problems. By the time of their first counseling appointment, anger and resentments run so deep that the relationship may not be salvageable. It s better to err on the side of seeing a professional at the first signs of trouble than waiting until a relationship is on the rocks. A majority of conflict in relationships stems not from one partner being right and the other wrong, but from a failure to discuss differences and then negotiate workable compromises.
Unresolved conflicts tend to snowball, so problems compound.
For example, disagreements about money management might carry over into the bedroom. A sexually frustrated partner then might experience difficulty concentrating or communicating at work, begin abusing alcohol or driving recklessly. Keeping a relationship on track takes work, no matter how well the two partners started out. Significant events will challenge a couple s ability to continue to regard each other positively. What to expect from couples counseling The counselor will ask each partner to describe the problem that brings them in, and what they have tried to do to address it.