Marriage & Relationship Counseling in Utah & Idaho

How to Work Through Relationship Problems

As soon as you start to recognize any of the above-mentioned relationship problems, it’s important to intervene before they get out of control. Try these relationship and marriage techniques:

Fight Fair

Set ground rules for arguments, such as no swearing, taking time to cool off, and sticking to the issue at hand. Take some time before you address the issue with your partner so you can gather your thoughts, keep calm, and ensure you have a healthy discussion instead of an argument that escalates.

Communicate About Your Communication

People have different communication styles, and those people often enter into relationships with one another. For example, one partner may need constant communication during the day while the other prefers to talk in person in the evenings. This could lead to partner A thinking that partner B no longer cares about them or is mad at them, which leads to resentment and larger issues down the road. Instead, you should address it upfront, tell your partner about your preferred communication style and why it’s important to you, and then meet in the middle.

Growing Together, Not Apart

Unfortunately, people sometimes grow apart. If your partner is growing, shifting, or experiencing anything that is “changing” them, try to experience the change with them. Support them and let them know how much you want to be part of their journey.

The Strength to Rebuild After Infidelity

Relationships can be rebuilt after infidelity, but it takes a lot of honesty, self-reflection, and the willingness to respond and heal the wounds that remain. It’s important to have hard conversations with your partner, such as why they stepped out on the relationship? Were they unhappy? Feeling unheard or ignored? Get to the bottom of it and work on the issues. 

These conversations are extremely emotional and can escalate extremely quickly, which is why it’s helpful to speak with a neutral third-party counselor at Highland Springs Specialty Clinic.

Top Marriage Problems and Solutions

What went wrong? In order to resolve your marriage issues, you need to find the answer to that question — both from within and from your partner. 

Although we list some solutions down below, the most effective solution is seeking relationship/marriage issues therapy. At Highland Springs Specialty Clinic we offer a range of family therapy services. 

Here are some solutions to common problems in marriage:

Getting on the Same Page About Intimacy

Married couples may lose interest in sex for a number of reasons, from medical issues to emotional problems. Intimacy issues in marriages can be extremely emotional because one party often feels unattractive and unwanted, leading to a huge confidence hit that bleeds over to their daily lives. To move past sexual indifference and issues, couples must discuss and resolve the emotional, underlying issues. 

A licensed marriage therapist will help provide a safe, neutral space for couples to discuss these highly personal problems and offer solutions and techniques to help move past them and reignite the spark in the marriage.

Emotional or Sexual Infidelity

Infidelity isn’t always physical; it can be strictly emotional too. A common marriage problem is that the couple starts to drift apart emotionally. When this happens, one or both of the partners may start looking around for validation. Or, the underlying, untreated issue may be aggravated by an external factor, like a too-friendly co-worker who always listens attentively to your stories about your favorite baseball player or who always remembers the little details, like your coffee order. These budding relationships can lead to adultery — which can destroy a marriage. 

When a lack of emotional connection arises or you suddenly feel as if your spouse has no interest in what you say, contact a marriage therapist immediately who can help you talk through the issues and rediscover why you love each other so much. Once these emotions and memories are rediscovered, there will be no need for external validation. 

The Marriage ‘F’ Word — Finances

Did you know that 70% of married couples argue about money? That percentage jumps to 80% when kids under the age of 18 are involved. Most commonly, one spouse is a spender, and the other is a saver. 

These arguments often reflect different core values. To avoid and repair disagreements about finances, it’s essential to discuss and agree on a budget, savings, and how the finances will be handled overall.

Marriage Boredom

Waking up next to the same person and going to bed next to them every single day sounds amazing during the early days of your love story. But, thousands of mornings waking up next to the same snoring face can get old. This is why a bit of spontaneity and effort can go a long way in a marriage. Spice things up by trying new things, planning getaways, and surprising your spouse from time to time, whether it’s something as simple as a new recipe or something a little more spontaneous like last-minute tickets to see their favorite sports team.

Jealousy

Everybody gets jealous from time to time, but a pattern of extreme jealousy can turn a marriage sour in no time. If jealousy gets out of hand, the spouse may become overbearing, controlling, angry, and/or rejecting. A counselor can be helpful for people dealing with jealousy, to help them understand where these feelings are coming from and how to manage them in a healthy way.