Anyone had success with marriage counselling?

[Candinha]

To cut a long story short we have been together 15 years have 3 children under 5 and slowly our relationship has deteriorated due to finacial and emotional presures. DH is keen to go for marriage counselling to see if we can make things work as we have started rowing in front of the children and we think our eldest is already being affected by it . Any comments and advice about counselling will be much apreciated.

Have been lurking on Relate type threads for ages now and finally plucked up courage to call them. Went yesterday, had to practically drag DH there kicking and screaming. It was really positive and I feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulders. Really really glad we went. Obviously things don't get magically cured after one hour but I feel positive. No longer fantasising about calling a solicitor.

Hi,

I have had a very positive experience of couples counselling over the last 5 months.

My DH and I had reached a similar stage to you OP, and I too was considering whether we had reached the natural end of our relationship.

The counselling sessions have been a revelation. We have managed to shake off the "stuck in a rut" mode of communicating, and both of us feel more together than we have for many years.

I would however add that it has been something of a rollercoaster. DH and I have both had to examine our thoughts and behaviour (including our upbringing) in minute detail which has at times been upsetting and painful.

However I would say that we are both extremely glad that we have stuck with it and persevered. I don't honestly think we would still be a couple if we hadn't attended counselling though - communication had become so difficult that we were unable to reach across the divide between us without some outside help.

Our relationship is of course still a work in progress, but we are happy again.

Hope that helps.