Does your spouse or partner drive you crazy?
Do you find that you and your spouse are arguing about the same things over and over again but the issues are never resolved?
Do disagreements end in screaming and fighting, instead of being goal oriented and productive?
Are you and/or your partner experiencing feelings of distance or emptiness in the relationship?
Are you and/or your partner experiencing feelings of anger, resentment or dissatisfaction towards one another?
Are you or your partner contemplating divorce?
Don’t give up on your marriage!
In therapy, you will learn how to identify specific maladaptive behavior patterns and how you and your spouse respond to stress within the marital dynamic. Together, we will observe the dysfunctional behaviors within your marriage and modify them with problem solving and conflict resolution. In doing so, both you and your spouse can begin to understand and transform your patterns into more adaptive, productive behaviors. You will learn how to communicate respectfully and effectively. You will learn how to listen and how to make yourself heard.
If you or your spouse comes from an unhealthy, broken or dysfunctional background, it can be helpful to utilize a psychoanalytic approach as part of treatment. In a psychoanalytic approach, we will explore the marital dynamic you experienced while growing up. This will help us identify any learned dysfunctional patterns that could be playing themselves out in your current marriage. Revisiting and gaining perspective on your past, can help you bridge the gap to creating a better present and future.
I believe that marital relationships can be compared to dancing. If you step to the right, your partner will respond by stepping to the right as well. If you move left, so will your spouse. Even if your spouse will not or cannot come in for treatment, individually, you can learn how to change the dysfunctional “dance steps” of your relationship and “dance” more productively. Just by improving yourself, you can greatly improve the whole relationship.
Call me at (973) 348-LCSW and start improving your marriage today!