You’ve been struggling to connect in your relationship lately. You’re just not sure where the spark went and you find yourself avoiding conversations because everything turns into a fight. Still, you know that there’s a lot of love between you and you’d like to consider finding an Atlanta couples therapist, but how do you know which one is the best?
Finding a couples therapist in Atlanta can be overwhelming. There are so many therapists, and it’s hard to know which to go with.
I’ve put together a few tips for finding the right therapist. But before I share, let me say this. Being in a relationship can be both rewarding and difficult. It comes with the ups and downs of life, which means there are times that we feel more connected and in love and times that we may even feel we hate eachother.
Still, there’s hope. What we see in the research is that successful relationships include intentionality. The more intentional we are, the more successful we can be at holding onto such an important part of our lives. Our Atlanta couples counselors know that just because you’re in a rough spot now, doesn’t mean you’ll be there forever. If we can find a way to reconnect, and deepen our understanding of eachother, we have a chance of working it out.
Tip 1: When you’re looking for your Atlanta couples therapist a big factor is whether or not you can be feel comfortable with the therapist. So, take some time to ask your therapist questions. See if you think you can feel comfortable enough with them to be honest. Do you feel like you can trust them enough to help you navigate this tough time? Do they seem like they get it, that they can understand where you’re at?
Tip 2: Look for a therapist that has training. When therapits finish school, they’re able to provide general counseling but couples counseling is nuanced, and it’s a great idea to find a therapist who has training and knows how to work with the difficulties that come with couples therapy. For example, skilled couples therapists can help you stop the cycle of fighting. If you’re not careful you’ll use your whole session engaging in the same fight you do when you’re at home. That’s not productive, but you’ll need your couples therapist to know how to help you interrupt that but still get something out of the session. There are different couples therapy trainings, and a few that I like are: Gottman Method, EFT for couples, Discernment Counseling, and IMAGO for couples. These aren’t the only ones, but they’re a good start.
Tip 3: Find a counselor that seems confident they can help. Every situation is unique, and you want to feel like your counselor has the confidence to help in your situation. For example, if you’re struggling with an infidelity that you went through as a couple, does your therapist have the experience and knowledge to help you through that? When you call or speak with your therapist, it’s okay to ask if they feel comfortable working with the situation. A good therapist will let you know if they are not, and will gladly provide referrals.
Tip 4: Prepare yourself to do the work and try the things that your Atlanta couples counselor is suggesting. This is more about checking in with yourself before you sign up for counseling. Are you able to commit to doing the work? If not, that’s okay, you can still try counseling, but you’ll want to be aware that this may make it less effective. Couples therapists use research backed approaches to helping you reconnect and heal your relationship, but if you don’t feel willing or ready to use them then it may move slower.
Tip 5: Decide whether you want to do in-person or virtual and what times you can realistically meet with your couples therapist. If you want in-person therapy, make sure the commute to your therapist is realistic and achievable. You’ll want to be consistent in attending therapy so you don’t want to pick someone that’s 2 hours away if you’re wanting to be in-person. For virtual therapy, the commute won’t be as important but what is important is that you have a private space where you can meet with the therapist that eliminates distractions and allows you to do the work together. Beyond that, consider what days and times work for you, and find out if your therapist is available during those times.
I’m so passionate about couples counseling, and have done a lot of work to train in helping couples walk through various issues. I’ve trained in Gottman Method through level three with additional training in working with affairs. I’ve trained in EFT for couples. And I’ve trained in premarital couples counseling using prepare and enrich. I say all that to say, when you have a couples counselor that knows what an important step you’re taking, they’ll work hard to get good training to help you address the things you need to address. If you’re looking for a couples counselor, know that you’re not alone. Plenty of couples reach out to us. Know that there is hope. Communication can get better. You can reconnect and reclaim your relationship.
