How do you feel about going to counseling with your partner?
Does the word counseling have a positive or negative connotation? Have you been to counseling with a partner? Did both people agree to go? Did it work? Was it to solve a problem? Or, to learn how to have a better relationship?
My answer in comments.
2 comments
When I was married, we went to counseling. It sucked. We went to about 8 different people and could not find anyone we both liked. I finally settled on a person she liked, and it did not meet my needs. We got divorced.
With my next relationship, I refused counseling in the beginning. It had left a bad taste in my mouth, and I also thought it was for mental health issues. I did change my mind, and found a person I wanted us to both go see. This counselor had a different approach. Counseling was more like learning to do things to make a better relationship. We both discovered that this was a relationship that should not lead to marriage. It created a situation outside of counseling where we both stood up to our boundaries. Which is healthy. However, our boundaries were opposite. The conclusion was we should not be together.
As a single man, 60 years old, I would gladly go to a relationship coach style of counseling with my next partner. We would discover if we are really a good match, or, what are the perpetual issues that will come up. The best part would be having the awareness that we can work through these issues and move forward with our eyes wide open.
I think it’s a positive healthy way of thinking .