Couple Therapy is an approach that can
help both people in a relationship with
the emotional difficulties that sometimes
flow from problems between partners,
especially when one or both people are
depressed. There are many different types
of couple therapy but what is described
here is a particular type of couple therapy
that has been developed to help people
who are suffering from depression.
People might benefit from couple therapy
for many different reasons. It may be that
the relationship has broken down or that
there is anxiety that it might. Sustaining
a fulfilling and stable relationship is
never easy. Pressures from work, money,
children, family tensions and ill health can
all contribute to creating problems and
these problems can lead to depression and
other difficulties for one or both partners.
Sometimes couples can’t talk to each other
and meeting with a couple therapist can
open the way to better communication
which seems to be a key part of improving
relationships.
How does it work?
Research has shown that couple therapy
helps people with depression when they
are in relationships that are experiencing
difficulties. Improving your relationship
through working together on the things
that create unhappiness, helps both you
and your partner move on from stuck and
often hostile patterns of interaction.
This in turn can lead to a happier and more
fulfilling relationship. Having a happier and
more fulfilling relationship often relieves
depression which in turn improves your
relationship. This positive cycle tends to
improve mood and emotional well being