What is the success rate of couples counseling? The kind of yelling you do when you don’t want to get up from your television show, or you don’t want to go all the way upstairs to ask her if she’s seen your keys. This is wonderful proof that marriage therapy and the best couples therapy is a great way to work towards a great relationship. While most of these tips are incredibly simple, putting them into practice can improve your marriage in a matter of days. Remember to do little things to show love and appreciation to your spouse. But that attitude will never lead you into deeper intimacy and a stronger, more loving relationship. Invest that time into one another. These exercises can work well instead of pre-marriage counseling, or alongside it. Get up from the couch if your partner is down the hall, and you want to ask about dinner plans. Buy some sexy outfits for the daytime and the nighttime. It’s important that both you and your partner feel free to answer these questions honestly and openly. Either one will not only improve your couples communication skills in general but will also strengthen your writing skills in particular — which can only benefit you both. Get adequate sleep: In an article for Health.com, Ella Quittner reports that, "When wives have trouble falling asleep, the quality of their relationship with their husband suffers. I’ve learned since my marriage ended that there is more than one right way to do most things and that the imperfections of others are too beautiful to try and change.”. Here are some quick marriage exercises you can start doing in just a couple minutes while you spend time with your spouse. When your partner isn’t around, talk well of him or her. In honesty hour, partners should encourage each other to speak honestly using the "I message" structure - starting sentences with "I feel" or "I think" rather than focusing on one's perception of what they believe the other person did or how they feel. If so, there’s something you need to say. What matters is that you’re regularly pulling back some great memories from the past, the same way Facebook does when it shows you memories from several years ago. and can make such a big difference in your marriage. It will cost you nothing. When your relationship has a high level of emotional intimacy, you share your feelings, needs, fears, successes, and failures knowing you will continue to be loved and cared for by your partner. So those were two little things from today. Retrieved from: http://www.savemymarriageprogram.com/2017/04/29/marriage-problems-signs/, Lawrence, M. (2006). Maybe you’re just so preoccupied with taking care of the kids, your job, and getting everything else done that you feel that kind of time is a luxury you simply don’t have. Be your spouse’s biggest fan and supporter. We want to feel loved and appreciated by our partner. Its roof has holes in it. Eliminate the tech devices and potential distractions. I wasn’t even being romantic – all I did was not cut her off when she spoke.”. You may be surprised to learn you are already doing simple activities that strengthen your marriage. Just bring it up! Keep exercising to stay in good shape. When you’re deciding what to talk about in couples counseling, you should always keep in mind the goals and aims of the relationship counseling to begin with. I like to display one attribute by my mirror each week. By making an effort to go out (or stay in) and engage in an activity that breaks up the constant focus on the relationship itself, it will shed light onto the types of things that brought you and your partner together in the first place. Be affectionate ― hold hands, cuddle and steal kisses. Going on the same date every week or every month can quickly start to have less and less of an effect, to the point where date night is just the two of you going through the motions as to not be the one who deprioritizes the exercise. It can be a short letter, a long one or anything else you might want, but it should tell them what you feel about them and why. Couples Counseling Exercises 1: Fix The Problem Before Bed