Relationships rarely go out with a bang. Instead, they tend to fizzle out slowly in response to mounting resentment, communication issues, and an overall lack of intimacy. Couples in crisis typically sense this decline, yet don’t know quite what to do to solve it. Knowing the difference between couples coaching vs traditional couples therapy may help you save your relationship.
For many, the answer is couples coaching, which helps break the cycle through the resolution of key conflicts. Despite that, couples may end up in traditional couples therapy instead. Since that approach looks into the past rather than toward the future, it might not offer the desired results. Ready to get started on a journey toward healing? Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Couples Coaching?
Couples coaching is a solution-focused method of repairing relationships through conflict resolution. Unlike traditional couples therapy, the results do not depend on healing past personal traumas nor is it designed for relationships impacted by mental health issues. Instead, it’s a proven process that guides couples on how to identify and resolve major issues in their relationship.
For most couples, the relationship coaching process takes about three months total. During that time, the couple meets with the relationship coach at least once a week. Each session focuses on resolving past resentments, resulting in better communications, more intimacy, and improved problem-solving abilities overall.
The Role of Traditional Couples Therapy
Although highly effective, couples coaching is not for everyone. Relationships seriously impacted by mental health issues may fare better with traditional couples therapy.
To start the therapy process, couples must meet with a licensed psychologist on a set schedule. The couples therapy sessions typically run alongside solo visits, allowing both parties to resolve their underlying issues before moving forward together.
Oftentimes, the therapy sessions are a lifelong endeavor, especially when used to help manage mental health conditions. Relationships do not always survive the lengthy process as a result, although the care still offers enormous benefits to the individual and their future partners.
What to Expect During Couples Coaching Sessions
Couples coaching focuses on saving the relationship from the start. A focus on learning and personal growth is necessary, too, particularly if you need to improve your ability to communicate and solve problems. So, you’ll want to come into each session ready to honestly assess the issues in your relationship and employ winning solutions.
At your initial couples coaching session, your relationship coach will learn about you and your partner plus take an objective look at the relationship. You’ll need to answer all questions in full to provide an accurate look at the issues causing all the strife. Although you might be surprised by the revelations, skip the bickering in favor of understanding instead.
Then, get ready to face your problems head-on as a team, your relationship coach included. By teaming up against the problems at hand, it’s possible to enact smart solutions and gain a steady footing in your relationship. Subsequent sessions will focus on even more problem-solving until all the resentment dissipates and gets replaced with excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
Couples Coaching vs Traditional Couples Therapy Benefits
When you go through couples coaching, you can count on enjoying all the following benefits:
- True understanding: Without great communication, it’s often hard to tell what problems are actually damaging your relationship. With help from a relationship coach, you gain a true understanding of your partner’s outlook, paving the way to the resolution of all major issues.
- Solutions-based outlook: Traditional couples therapy often focuses on the problem at hand, resulting in a lot of bickering. Couples coaching shifts the focus to solutions, which encourages teamwork and rebuilds close connections.
- More life skills: Couples coaching centers around learning emotionally intelligent skills and promoting growth at the individual level. You can then use these skills to identify and solve future issues well before the problems breed resentment.
Repairing conflicts together lies at the heart of the couples’ coaching process. The resulting sense of teamwork and comradery helps reignite the flame and restores intimacy in your relationship.
Your newfound life skills can help keep problems at bay in the future. But if any insurmountable issues do arise, you can always come back for another few sessions with your relationship coach. Or you can take the Masterclass: For Couples to learn new problem-solving strategies and start fresh once again.
With that knowledge on your side, you’ll never again feel at a loss on what to do to remove the wedge between you and your partner. You can just focus on solving the problem with help from a relationship coach.
Ready to Improve Your Relationship?
If you’re ready to eliminate resentment and improve your relationship, reach out to your trusted relationship coach at Kairos. By booking a free consultation, you can get the info you need to best decide between couples coaching vs traditional couples therapy. Then, you’ll just need to set up your initial visit to get started on resolving the strife in your relationship while learning helpful life skills all along the way.
