Couples Therapy: Everything You Need to Know

How to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Therapy Sessions

1. Be as truthful as possible; lying will just waste your money. Remember, a therapist’s office is not a place for judgment; it is a place for healing, but it must originate from within you.
   
2. Be prepared to be unpleasant. Nobody enters into a therapy session feeling particularly self-assured. Discomfort may emerge during the process of uncovering truths about yourself and your relationship. Growth is never easy, but it is always important.
   
3. Listen. It may be tempting to be as defensive as possible, with a slew of reasons why your partner is wrong and you are correct, but listening to what your partner has to say is an essential part of the process.
   
4. Put in the effort. In addition to your in-person sessions, your therapist may require you to complete homework, experiment with different communication approaches, and participate in other activities in between meetings. Your troubles will not go away by themselves; you must first do the work.