The benefits of couples therapy before Christmas

The holiday season should be the time for couples to come together and express their love through romantic winter dates, present giving and meaningful time together as a family. If you’re struggling to communicate with your partner, however, and have been feeling unhappy in your relationship, the extra stress of Christmas can become too much, causing the underlying issues to flow over. It can be extremely challenging to manage your busy social calendar and the additional financial strain that this time of year brings, especially if your relationship is already on the rocks. It can lead to a series of arguments that could be detrimental to your relationship and ruin Christmas.
 
Make sure your holiday season remains festive and fun this winter by starting couples counselling to resolve any arguments and better understand your needs as individuals and as a couple. Read on to learn why now is the best time to start improving your relationship through therapy to make Christmas and beyond happier and healthier.

Less disruptive for the family

Christmas is a time for friends and family - going on days out and having meals or parties to bring everyone together. Nothing can ruin this more than the constant arguing or bickering of a couple, dampening the mood for everyone. It can be even worse when there are children involved. Christmas is meant to be a time of festivity, and if they are subjected to their parent's arguments and disputes, it can really take a negative toll on them.

By committing to couples therapy, you can start to understand why you and your partner are arguing. Often it isn’t the things that you are fighting about that are causing the friction but rather something else hidden underneath. By having experienced help to uncover and discuss this, you can both understand why you are arguing and work towards a healthy solution. With fewer arguments, both of you can enjoy the season without any underlying anger or upset tarnishing the festivities.

More time for festive fun

Once you have both acknowledged where the tension has come from, you can begin to work towards resolving it by dedicating time to each other. Whether you go ice skating or on a trip to the local Christmas market, this is an excellent time of year to reignite the romance in your relationship by spending time in an atmosphere that promotes happiness, love and enjoyment.
 
With fewer arguments and increased understanding also comes more free time. Instead of spending your evenings arguing, you can stay in and watch Christmas films with your family or venture out shopping together. You can immerse yourself in everything and anything that makes this season full of love and family, taking advantage of the holiday to remind yourself why you love your partner and why you want to overcome your issues.

Diminish holiday stress

Often it can be something entirely outside of the relationship that causes the breakdown in communication. If you or your partner feel stressed about money, work, or life in general, then the little annoyances that would normally be overlooked can cause a great deal of upset due to them feeling irritable and tense. During the run-up to Christmas, these pressures can become unbearable causing the relationship to fracture even more. By seeking couples therapy, you can encourage your partner to open up about their concerns and address the underlying problems that are causing them to lash out. By being honest with your partner, you can create a united front and tackle the issues hand in hand before they become unmanageable.
 
A counsellor can give you expert advice on how to handle your stress and express it more calmly. At the same time, they can help you both understand and learn to be more accepting and supportive of the other person; so, when they come to you with an issue, rather than fight, you can speak about it and come to a solution.