Couples Issues and Intimacy

Many couples seek assistance to feel closer to each other. Couples are challenged early in their relationships to find ways of dealing with conflict, of ensuring each partner gets primary needs met, and to facilitate the development of the relationship itself. It sounds easy enough, but it actually is pretty complex. Most couples are dealing with lots of other stresses in their lives outside the relationship, such as children, career, financial concerns, other family members, and so on.

It is difficult with all these pressures to give the relationship a place of importance. Yet, relationships require this kind of nurturance in order to grow and develop. Couples are challenged to find ways to have fun with each other, to engage in activities they both enjoy, and to communicate freely and respectfully with each other.

The research indicates that the average length of time for couples to seek assistance for their relationships from the when problems develop is around 6 – 7 years. Clearly, it is more effective to seek help sooner, rather than later. The longer negative patterns persist, the more difficult it is to change them.