Marriage is often the perfect opportunity for couples to grow old together and develop meaningful relationships. Unfortunately, not all love stories lead to happy endings.
While conflicts are typical for any relationship, couples book counselling sessions because they think a professional can help them work through their problems and differences healthily to stay together. However, other partners would book separation counselling sessions to help them grow separately after ending their relationship.
This situation could be difficult for you and your former partner. If you’re struggling with this stage in your relationship, here are four reasons you should consider booking separation counselling sessions:
1. Provides Opportunities for Personal Work
Most counsellors recommend individuals love themselves and work on their issues before committing to a serious relationship. It helps them become a better partner and reduce the chances of getting into a toxic relationship. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for some couples.
Most relationships end up unsuccessful because individuals haven’t entirely healed from past traumas. These distressing effects can cause people to isolate themselves and struggle to resolve conflicts. They may also bring out complicated emotions. Ultimately, people suffering from unhealed trauma will project these unhealthy emotions into the relationship and strain the marriage.
Booking separation counselling will help former partners better understand each other’s traumas. Your counsellor may recommend seeking individual therapy following the separation counselling sessions.
2. Eliminates Emotional Baggage
It can be tricky for most individuals to move on from a failed relationship. Sometimes, it may feel like you’re dragging loads of emotional baggage behind you.
Like unresolved traumas, entering a new relationship without letting go of the emotional baggage can negatively impact your connections with the new partner.
Booking separation counselling sessions can help you be aware of and confront the leftover issues that may negatively affect future relationships. Sometimes, it doesn’t focus on your former partner’s wrongs but helps you identify maladaptive patterns to avoid in your next relationship.
3. Allows Room for Closure
Everybody deserves proper closure if you end the relationship because of a loss, rejection, or want to grow apart. Closure provides a sense of understanding, peace, and acceptance of the failed relationship.
Fortunately, booking separation counselling sessions can give former partners the safe space to share their final thoughts on why they think their marriage was unsuccessful. It also gives them a chance to reminisce about the highs and lows of their relationships.
Moreover, separation counselling sessions allow former partners to vent out what went wrong and acknowledge how they contributed to the relationship. After agreeing to break up, you can use this opportunity to get things off your chest and grow apart individually.
4. Teaches People to Act Civil
Separation counselling sessions teaches former partners to remain civil, even after the relationship ends. Some couples may separate and never communicate with one another again. On the other hand, some routines or lifestyles may require separate partners to interact, such as if they live in the same neighbourhood, work in the same company, or are parents.
Interacting with one another can be tricky and awkward, especially with the severe emotional damage left behind. Fortunately, counselling teaches former partners to interact with each other in a civilized manner. It may also teach them how to co-parent if they have children.
Growing Apart
Some love stories don’t end happily because of unresolved past traumas and misunderstandings. Booking separation counselling sessions can help you move forward and give you a well-deserved closure.
If you’re looking for a safe space to work out your differences, we can help you. Chettiar Counselling & Associates offers separation counselling services to help troubled partners air their grievances before growing apart. Book a session today, and we can help you get the well-deserved closure.
