As time goes on, changes and challanges occur in all relationships. Often times, when these changes and challanges arise, couples struggle with being able to comunicate in a loving and healthy way.
Conflict occurs when two (or more) people don't agree with each other. All couples experience conflicts. Conflict is a normal and healthy part of relationships. It becomes unhealthy when the couple is no longer able to communicate or resolve the conflict in a healthy way....or when the conflict esculates into verbal or physical violence.
In a healthy relationship, each partner wants to solve the conflict ... not "win" an argument.
Long term unresloved conflcit is often the catalyst to thoughts of ending a marriage or relationship.
Couples counseling can often be helpful by teaching couples to communicate in healthy and more effective ways as well as to help them learn healthy conflict resolution skills.
Couples counseling also be helpful to couples dealing with post extra marital affair related issues, parenting children after divorce , differences in parenting syles (especially when combined with step-parenting issues) as well as a number of other intimate partner related issues.
If you are struggling with an issue related to your relationship or marriage, Dr. Laura can help.