Does your partner push your buttons? Marriage Counseling at Take Charge, Inc.

Marriage counseling can help couples who may ask, “Why can’t I stop reacting to my partner?”  Anyone in a relationship knows that partners have the uncanny ability to bring out the best and worst in each other. Accordingly, whether newly married or celebrating many years together, partners can find themselves overreacting in a way that rarely happens anywhere else in their lives.

Overreactions are like flashfloods — all of a sudden they are there, be it from a deliberate or unintended provocation or the build-up of unrelated feelings that let loose over something as simple as, “Did you forget the milk?” In the moment, it is very difficult to untangle what has happened, much less consider ways to handle the interpersonal triggers and overreactions.

The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses, especially when it comes to behaviors we need for survival: feeding, reproduction and attachment to someone who cares for us.  These emotional triggers with our spouse trigger our fight or flight responses. The limbic system is the area of the brain most heavily implicated in emotion and memory. When our spouse askes “Did you forget the milk?”  this can quickly trigger anger and a strong response to our partner.  After the reaction we are often left wondering why that was so upsetting and how it ended in conflict.  Marriage counseling at Take Charge, Inc., with Terri Clinton Dichiser can help identify these reactions and untangle the emotions.

What if you are not the person who overreacts? You may not be, but you are the person reacting in a way that you don’t like — and that you can change. Two people can’t dance the old dance if one starts dancing new steps. When a partner understands some of the reasons and remedies for overreacting, both partners and their relationship can benefit.

Terri uses Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) to help couples reconnect with one another. She uses therapy and marriage counseling to help couples recognize the patterns they have established in their relationship and offers tools and strategies to break those patterns to create a renewed sense of safety and security with your spouse.

EFT research shows:

• More than 70% of couples turned their relationship around; from distressed – no matter how distressed – to happy
• More than 90% of couples “significantly improved.”

EFT is counseling therapy based on 20 years of clinical studies with proven results for couples in crisis. EFT marriage counseling is based on therapy with your spouse in the safe environment of Terri’s office to help you create a haven of safety and strength in your marriage. Marriage based on a connection with your spouse that makes you stronger as an individual and in your marriage.

For more information about marriage counseling at Take Charge, Inc., call (913) 239-8255 to make an appointment.