Life isn’t all roses; it’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The idea of “happily ever after” or fairy tales is sometimes absent in real life. Every marriage faces challenges from finances and parenting to time management amidst busy schedules. Whether it’s a love or arranged marriage, couples may reach a point of exhaustion and consider giving up.
Couples frequently encounter problems, arguments, and differences. However, these challenges alone do not necessarily guarantee relationship failure. Divorce might cross their minds when they feel dissimilar, but that’s where marriage counseling comes in. It is certainly a valuable resource to help couples navigate tough times and ensure their relationship endures. 

In Pakistan, it’s very rare that couples opt for counselling as people don’t feel comfortable talking about their personal issues in front of therapists. Because in real life, nothing is like a movie. Live in fantasy but be realistic and practical in marriage life to work it out. It will be difficult to find out your likes and dislikes keeping in mind your partner’s needs.  

Seeking help from some trained professional worth, in the end, helps to save the relationship and build a strong, healthy and loving relationship. marriage counselling can benefit people who recognize each other’s requirements, develop confidence and understanding, and in the end support their bond. 

What is marriage counselling? 

Marriage counselling is also referred as marriage therapy/relationship counselling. It can be a great help for couples who are facing problems in their relationship and want to work out the problems. Counselling is done by certified and experienced people. These people help to strengthen your marriage by resolving issues and developing strategies which lead to building strong and more enjoyable bonds between partners.  

Open communication is crucial in every relationship to thrive. It’s of paramount importance that communication not only remains open but also remains genuinely honest in any relationship. If the genuine problems occurring between couples are not shared with counselors, they will not be adequately equipped to provide assistance. 

Just like a psychiatrist helps you to stable your mental conditions, marriage counsellors help to improve the worth of a relationship and try to strengthen it. Therapy helps to identify the problems and sort out things in a pleasant way instead of leading to a horrible end of the relationship. 

Seeking the help of some specialist to save relations does not mean that you are weak. It shows that the couple is ready to strengthen their relationship for the long term. It takes bravery to accept that you need the help of some trained person to make things work. Counselling is amazingly important and helps you to move forward, accept your problems and solve them together. 

Common issues that need some sort of guidance 

In marriages, common issues can arise between couples that often require some form of marriage counseling. Communication breakdowns, trust issues, and financial disagreements are examples of problems that can strain marriages. Additionally, differing priorities and family conflicts can contribute to relationship stress. Seeking professional guidance becomes crucial in addressing these issues and fostering healthier connections.  

Couples may go through some common problems that need the help or guidance of a third party. Counsellors/Therapist helps to resolve such issues. There may be a long list of issues faced by couples but some commons issues most of couples’ face are; 

• Lack of communication/misunderstanding 
• Financial disputes 
• Efforts on trust issues between couples 
• Evoking the spark of intimacy/falling out of love 
• Personal disputes 
• Frequent conflicts, yelling, disrespect 
• Parenting styles 

Advantages of Marriage Counselling

Rather than solely relying on friends or relatives, couples should actively consider seeking the expertise of trained therapists. These skilled professionals not only possess the necessary skills but are also dedicated to maintaining the confidentiality of your concerns. Therapy creates a safe and secure environment where challenges can be openly discussed. Therapists perform a pivotal role in facilitating couples to openly talk about seemingly minor issues that might be underlying significant problems. With the guidance and support of a counselor, couples can collaboratively work towards a resolution that truly aligns with their best interests. The common advantages of marriage counselling are; 

To be aware of hidden relationship challenges

Couples must be aware of the issues which are affecting their relationship. Sometimes couples are unable to manage their problem and here you need the help of counsellors to rescue you. 

To facilitate open conversations

Marriage counselling helps you to talk about your feelings and emotions openly in front of therapists. Open and honest conversations can lead to resolve your many issues. This improves trust and confidence in the relationship. 

To handle conflicts and prevent major issues

Counsellors listen to both sides calmly and help to identify the root cause of the problem. They have the skills to manage the conflict. 

Enhancing communication

Building a strong relationship requires improving communication. Through marriage counseling, you can acquire skills to effectively communicate and work through problems. Consequently, fostering a deeper connection becomes achievable. 

Aids in understanding feelings for your partner

It is very important in a strong relationship that you know about the feelings of your partner. Sometimes you are reluctant to share it and this leads to major problems. Counselling helps you to speak your heart out and be known about feelings of each other. Thus, when the need arises, do not hesitate to seek the support that counseling can provide. 

Helps to create deeper connections between couples

There are many ways to make your connection strong with your partner but sometimes you are unaware of these. Counsellors help you to do meaningful conversations, understand each other’s needs and support each other to build a healthy relationship. 

Marriage Counseling in Pakistan 

Recently, people in Pakistan have been talking about whether they go for marriage counseling. This is because how people think about relationships is changing. It’s important to look at this carefully. First, we have to think about the culture. Pakistan has many different cultures and old-fashioned ways of doing things. Because of this, not many couples choose to get help from professionals when they have problems in their marriage. But things are getting different. People are starting to see things from around the world, and this is changing their minds slowly. So, in cities, more and more people are okay with the idea of counseling to solve their problems and make their relationships better.  

Money matters too. When people have enough money, they are more likely to try counseling to make their relationships stronger. Also, the media has a big role. TV, newspapers, and other media show stories about people who got help and are happy now. But there are still problems. Not everyone can get counseling easily. In some areas, there aren’t many trained counselors, and some people think it’s not good to get counseling.  

To finish, it’s not simple to say whether people in Pakistan are using marriage counseling a lot. Many things like culture, money, and how we see things play a part. While we are making progress, there is still a lot to do to make counseling a normal choice for couples who want better relationships.Top of Form 

Conclusion

Marriage counselling is really effective to strengthen the relationship and improve communication. The main thing is couples should be willing to get help to have a healthy, loving and happy relationship with their partner. So, if couples are facing problems in their marriage lives and are unable to identify the problem, they should seek help without any doubt. For this, they must find a trained and qualified therapist who can help to support and strengthen their relationship. There is no 100 percent guarantee that counselling can save a marriage but couples should always be willing to find out ways to improve the quality of their relationship.  

Also remember that the effectiveness of marriage counseling depends on various factors, including the willingness of both partners to actively participate and implement the strategies discussed during sessions. While counseling can offer valuable insights and tools for resolving conflicts, couples must be committed to applying what they’ve learned in their day-to-day interactions. Ultimately, successful outcomes are achievable when couples approach counseling with an open mind, a readiness for change, and a shared dedication to strengthening their bond. 

We’d like to hear from you also: Is marriage counseling necessary? Does it genuinely work? Share your thoughts!