As the Houston relationship counselor, I know that going through therapy with your partner is an intimate and emotionally draining experience. It’s hard enough to bare your soul to your spouse, but a complete stranger? How do you know if you can trust the “expert” giving you advice? What are their beliefs about marriage and relationships? How can you tell if you’ll be comfortable around them? One way to get a trial run with your therapist is to attend couples workshops.
Houston Relationship Counselor: “Try Out” Therapists at Couples Workshops
Attending an evening or weekend workshop can be a great way to get a feel for a Houston relationship counselor before you commit to ongoing sessions. You’ll be able to see them in action as they work with you and other couples, and likely get at least a slice of their philosophy and style. Plus, couples workshops often have bios for the therapists running them, so you can see their credentials and learn a bit about their career.
For you, it’s less personal because you won’t have a lot of one-on-one time with the therapist. You can get used to them before you decide to let them into your life. And if their personality or beliefs don’t mesh with your own, you’ll probably still benefit from the time spent with your spouse, and you’ve only spent money for one workshop.
If you’re going to the trouble of looking for a therapist to save your marriage, you want to make sure that the person running your sessions is just as committed to making your relationship work. The things you should ask yourself when looking for the right therapist are:
- Does the therapist listen?
- Do you trust him or her?
- Do you feel confident in his or her abilities?
- Do you feel comfortable and safe?
- Do you feel respected?
- Do you feel like your marriage is important to him or her?
At my clients’ initial session, I tell them to think about these things. If they are not comfortable with me or my style, I encourage them to talk to me about it if they think it will help, or to seek out a different therapist if they don’t believe the issue can be solved. The most important thing is that you are able to really open up with your Houston relationship counselor.
