Benefits of Marital/Couples Counseling

Kelsey Bauer-Guay • December 3, 2023

Relationship Counseling Helps!

Benefits to Couples/Marital Counseling

Website: Lexington Counseling and Psychiatry

Website link: marriage-counseling-therapy

Are you wondering if couple/marital counseling is something you and your partner could benefit from? Have you questioned when is the right time to bring in professional help? Here are some things to consider with what we know is beneficial for this type of counseling treatment.

This type of counseling treatment can help each member of the relationship be able to have a secure space with a trained professional to navigate finding a deeper understanding of their significant other so that they can better understand the differences in thoughts and philosophies which can separate them or cause conflict. Other benefits include learning tools and strategies in sessions to better communicate and effectively work through these differences together outside sessions - for how big or small.

Research has shown in the United States 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. It also has shown the average couple waits up to six years before seeking out professional help and only 31% of couples seek out pre-marital relationship education programs prior to marriage.

The Gottman Method is a therapeutic approach to better support couples that are struggling with frequent conflict and disconnection, as well as struggling with implementing healthy communication skills or specific problems, such as financial, sexual issues, parenting, and infidelity.

The Gottman Method developed ‘The Sound Relationship House Theory’, which includes 9 components: building love maps, sharing fondness and admiration, turning towards instead of away, the positive perspective, managing conflict, making dreams come true, creating shared meaning, trust, and commitment.

If you and your partner feel like you would benefit from couples/marital counseling,

Call us at 859.338.0466 or Contact US to schedule an appointment with one of our Mental Health Professionals. Our current offices are located in Lexington, Frankfort, and Richmond, KY. At the Offices of Paul Dalton - Lexington Counseling and Psychiatry, we have been trusted mental health professionals in Central Kentucky for over 22 years!

Supporting articles: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037577/

https://www.gottman.com/blog/is-it-time-to-go-to-couples-counseling/

https://www.gottman.com/about/the-gottman-method/

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The Benefits of Therapy

By Chelsea Conner • September 8, 2025

The Benefits to Therapy and Why It Is Important to Seek out Help

How to Build Success When Recovering from Substance Use

By Chelsea Conner • August 14, 2025

Substance use is a growing health concern. 47.7 million Americans reported the use of illegal substances according to a study conducted in 2023 by The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. A Substance Use Disorder (SUD), defined by The American Psychiatric Association, is ‘a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance despite harmful consequences.’ The American Psychiatric Association recognizes that someone who has a SUD has an intense urge to engage in any of the listed substances - alcohol, tobacco, or psychoactive substances that impact daily functioning, interpersonal relationships, and overall health. Another term well known for SUD is addiction. There is no single cause for a SUD but rather, a combination of factors can contribute to its development. Self-medication, genetics, peer pressure, curiosity, performance enhancement, and medical use turned misuse can all lead to someone engaging in problem use with substances and even addiction. Another study conducted in 2023 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, showed that 70% of people who sought out treatment for substance abuse/misuse reported improvements to their overall health and functioning within the first year of treatment. There are several available options for treatment, including outpatient care, intensive outpatient care, and in-patient care treatment. It is also important to have a collaborative approach when it comes to treatment for a SUD to have the best outcome, which can include medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, peer support, AA/NA meetings, sponsor, and a healthy support system within interpersonal relationships. It's important to remember that addiction is not a moral failing, it's a complex medical condition that can affect anyone. Compassion, understanding, and proper treatment are essential to recovery and can lead to successful outcomes. Some treatment modalities that have shown success in therapy when treating SUD include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Contingency Management (CM), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), as well as a facilitated 12 step program and a trauma focused lens. Whether you're concerned about your own substance use or worried about a loved one, help is available and healing is possible! Call our office at 859.338.0466 to schedule an appointment to work with one of our providers to start your healing journey to recovery. Our current offices are located in Lexington, Frankfort, and Richmond, KY. We have been trusted mental health professionals in Central Kentucky for over 22 years! Articles and Resources: https://drugabusestatistics.org/ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction-substance-use-disorders/what-is-a-substance-use-disorder https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6175215/ https://www.pyramid-healthcare.com/blog/2019/02/12/self-medication-and-addiction/ https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment