In my years of working with clients in Houston marriage counseling, I’ve found that couples workshops can often be just as effective as sessions with some therapists. This may seem strange – after all, shouldn’t you see far more improvement from all that 1-on-1 time with a therapist? You’ve got attention, privacy, focus – why wouldn’t it work better? That’s because there are lots of great things about couples workshops that you don’t get in the same way with 1-on-1 therapy sessions.
This is not to say that 1-on-1 therapy sessions are not helpful; in fact, many of my greatest successes with clients come from this kind of therapy. But if you’re still dipping your toes into the therapy waters, a couples workshop might be the way to go, especially if you are simply more intimidated by individual therapy sessions than by a group setting.
Reasons to Choose Couples Workshops
Immersion – There’s a big difference between going to a 1-hour session once a week and going away with your spouse to couples workshops for the weekend. You get to spend 48 solid hours with each other working on strengthening your relationship and reconnecting.
Cost – For the amount of time you get together, couples workshops are far less expensive than ongoing weekly therapy sessions.
Try before you buy – If you and your spouse aren’t sure how you feel about a certain therapist, attending a weekend workshop hosted by one – or several – can be a great way to get a feel for the person you’re trusting to help your relationship.
Modeling – A weekend away with other couples gives you the opportunity to observe their behavior – good and bad – and learn from it.
Learn skills – Because of their group focus, many couples workshops do activities and try to teach relationship skills rather than simply having you talk about your problems like you would in 1-on-1 therapy.
If you’re interested in couples workshops with Houston marriage counseling, contact our offices today for more information.
