Saturday, January 9, 2010

Create Balance In Your Life And Relationship With Holistic Therapy For Couples

By Stephen Daniels

Many couples who experience a bump in the road in their relationship turn to counseling for help. Some people do not realize the differences between holistic counseling and traditional counseling when they are trying to work out relationship issues.

Traditional counseling often places its focus on the issues the couple brings to the session to discuss, whether they are subjects of frequent arguments, one partner's hurt feelings, or intimacy issues. While working on these surface issues is sometimes useful, this approach tends to be little more than a band-aid to cover only visible wounds while ignoring the imbalance between the partners that is the underlying cause of these surface problems.

A couple's individual disagreements and communication issues are often symptoms of a much greater problem - one that all too often goes unaddressed by traditional counseling. In many cases, when two people are in need of counseling, both the individuals and the couple as a unit are out of balance with themselves and one another. A more holistic approach will assist them in healing individually and together.

Holistic Counseling is completely centered on assisting partners in reclaiming that balance and wellness for themselves and for the relationship. A balanced partnership is one founded upon feelings of love, trust, intimacy, and joy. The right holistic therapy will focus on increasing these aspects of the bond.

The holistic approach is best for two people who feel like their relationship is out of balance, particularly if they believe that their disagreements are a symptom of a larger issue. Relationships lacking in joy, intimacy, or positive communication can benefit from this method. Through holistic therapy, partners can explore these issues and learn new ways of thinking about their bond with one another.

Those who find a traditional therapist's approach off-putting may find holistic therapy to be a particularly attractive idea. Sometimes, participants in traditional therapy sessions feel like they are in a moderated debate; others may even think they are being ganged up on by their partner and the therapist.

In addition, holistic counseling is far less likely than traditional counseling to result in psychiatric medication being prescribed for one or both parties. Traditional counselors often recommend antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, or sleeping pills to one or both parties. Sometimes, these drugs actually increase problems between two people. They can cause sexual issues or even change an individual's personality to some degree, creating another rift in an already fragile situation. Of course, in some cases, drugs are a useful and important part of therapy. However, many modern practitioners use medication as a first line of defense rather than a last ditch resort. Swallowing a pill is far simpler than changing a couple's worldview or the way that they work with one another.

Holistic therapy is generally not a quick fix for couples' problems. However, it will reach down to the roots of the bond to improve the relationship as a whole as well as both individuals. It is a method created for partners who desire true balance in their lives, both together and separately.

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