The stressors of Covid have extracted a heavy toll on many marriages and relationship. Repeated lockdowns, school closings, limited childcare, loss of work, illness, chronic “togetherness” — the burdens of the pandemic, now entering its third year and yet another phase, have caused many to feel frustrated, trapped, and painfully isolated from their partners. Divorces are happening at a faster pace than before the pandemic, and even those marriages that have endured for decades, through numerous other crises, are feeling the strain. 

The reality is that sometimes a partnership is no longer viable or healthy; sometimes people are happier and more fulfilled apart. In the midst of conflict and distress, however, it can be hard to make the right determination. Is this a temporary problem, or is it a breaking point? Is this the end of the road, or is it just a difficult stretch? 

How can Couples Therapy help my relationship?

Couples therapy is a form of therapy that carefully examines the tension and discord a couple is experiencing, and that can provide a pathway to rejuvenate and revitalize a strained marriage. All couples have their challenges, but all have their strengths. Counseling for your relationship can tap into a partnership’s positive and nourishing qualities. It can help a couple to heal old wounds, break destructive habits, formulate constructive goals, and develop new (or renewed) patterns of intimacy, support, and communication. A relationship therapist can guide you through the myriad confusions of the present moment:

• Do I feel disconnected from my partner because of a particular event or stressor, or is there just a general loss of excitement?

• Are the demands of parenthood or work keeping us from feeling connected?

• Why is it so hard to find meaningful time with each other?

• Have we lost the ability to communicate well with each other, or have we never had it?

• Are there lingering resentments we need to address before we can move forward?

All marriages experience changes. During uncertain times, such as the one we are living through, such changes can feel especially painful. But they don’t have to lead to breakage. With patience and wise guidance, even the most difficult experiences can be put to good use, and our most intimate relationships made stronger, sounder, and more satisfying.