Latest news with #CouplesTherapy
SBS Australia
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Top new series coming to SBS On Demand in June 2025
L-R: Bosch: Legacy, The Secret Genius of Modern Life, Blinded and Black Daisies. Dark Side of the Cage, season 1 Couples Therapy Australia, seasons 1-2 Bosch: Legacy, season 2 Blinded, season 3 Travels with Agatha & Sir David Suchet, season 1 Moonbird, season 1 Families Like Ours, season 1 The Secret Genius of Modern Life, season 3 A Girls' Guide to Hunting, Fishing & Wild Cooking, seasons 1-2 Black Daisies, season 1 Warm Props, season 1 Dark Side of the Cage cuts through the glamour and glory of the MMA spectacle to reveal the never-before-told stories behind its most iconic competitors and delves into the controversial and infamous events along the path to the sport's dominance. This series sheds a new light on the MMA and iconic fighters like Diego Sanchez, Nick Diaz and Ronda Rousey, as well as the rise and fall of Japan's greatest MMA league, PRIDE FC. Dark Side of the Cage premieres Tuesday 3 June on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS VICELAND starting Tuesday 3 June at 10.15pm. Couples Therapy is a documentary series that follows real couples through months of couple's therapy with a highly regarded therapist. The series is filmed almost entirely in the therapist's office where we watch a diverse group of couples dive into their long standing conflicts, explore their personal histories and seek connection and new compassion for each other. In Couples Therapy Australia , we are taken through multiple sessions of therapy with psychotherapist Marryam Chehelnabi. The premise of Couples Therapy is that most couples suffer in isolation, rarely sharing the truth of their struggle with others. In fact, studies have shown that couples that seek therapy stay miserable for six years on average before they reach out for help. This show allows audiences the opportunity to watch people in conflict move through differences and find fresh avenues of connection. At its core, this series is purely documentary. Situations are not contrived; the stakes and tension are not manufactured. These are real, relatable couples in crisis, doing the actual work of therapy. Although the therapist's office is custom built for the production, it is unlike any other sets in that production is entirely invisible to the subjects. The couples entering the therapist space never see a camera, or a light stand. The show is rigorously designed so the therapist and the couples forget about the cameras and expose their true selves to each other and to us. Couples Therapy Australia seasons 1-2 premieres Thursday 5 June on SBS On Demand. Also, Couples Therapy season 4, part two is now available to stream at SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS VICELAND every Monday at 10.45pm. In season 2 of Bosch: Legacy , former homicide detective Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) moves on to a new chapter as a private investigator. Tenacious as always, nothing can shake his strong personal code that drives him to seek justice for murder victims. Brilliant defence attorney and one-time enemy of Bosch, Honey 'Money' Chandler (Mimi Rogers), continues to display her mastery of the legal system, holding the powers-that-be accountable. She is smart, ruthless and shrewdly determined. Maddie (Madison Lintz), daughter of Bosch, charts her own course as a legacy in law enforcement. Wanting to follow in her father's footsteps, she's smart, independent and knows how to deal with scrutiny. Bosch: Legacy season 2 premieres Thursday 12 June on SBS On Demand. In 1922, long before she became the world's best-selling author, Agatha Christie embarked upon an epic world tour. Now, 100 years later, Poirot actor Sir David Suchet is following in her footsteps. On her incredible adventure, Agatha journeyed across what was then the British Empire, visiting Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, while also taking a holiday in Hawaii. Now, armed with his trusty camera to capture a unique record of his travels, Sir David will see what she saw, discovering how this journey influenced her life and her writing, and revealing new sides to her character. As well as delving into Agatha's past, Sir David will explore the fascinating histories of the countries she visited. He'll find out how things have changed in the hundred years since her trip and will see how different communities are grappling with and transforming the complex legacies of colonialism. Travels with Agatha Christie & David Suchet premieres Saturday 14 June on SBS and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS starting Saturday 14 June at 7.30pm. A gripping financial crime thriller that expertly explores journalism, politics, bank corruption and international fraud while simultaneously navigating complex personal relationships. Financial journalist Bea Farkas and her new colleague Karim Abassi decide to dig into a Scandinavian telecom company building 5G networks in the Middle East. What starts as a routine investigation reveals corruption, with the company bribing Taliban warlords. When a Swedish engineer is kidnapped, Bea and Karim find themselves in the middle of a dangerous power struggle. After their report is published, Dagbladet is attacked and Karim is seriously injured. At the brand new high-tech hospital New Eleonora Institute's ICU, where Karim is being treated, all life support systems suddenly collapse. Will Karim survive? Bea discovers that the hospital is run by an unscrupulous consultancy company that profits from taxpayers' money. Meanwhile, Bea's grandmother reveals that her father, who she thought was gone forever, is alive and running the controversial Logos school group. Bea is forced to confront a brutal reality - exposing the corruption surrounding her newfound father could ruin their relationship forever. Blinded season 3 premieres Thursday 19 June on SBS On Demand. Moonbird was one of only eight projects worldwide to be featured in the Short Forms Competition at Series Mania in 2025. It is a co-production between the first-ever Tasmanian Aboriginal screen production company, Kutikina Productions, and Sheoak Films. Produced by Catherine Pettman and Adam Thompson, the series explores the relationship between a recently sober father (Kyle Morrison) and his son (Lennox Monaghan; Deadloch , Windcatcher ) who attempt to reconnect through a traditional muttonbirding season on a remote Tasmanian island. Moonbird premieres Thursday 19 June at 8.30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand. You can find Moonbird and more brilliantly unique Digital Originals here . Countries disappear, love remains. Denmark, in a not-too-distant future. The rising water levels can no longer be ignored and the country needs to be evacuated. As people disperse in all directions, they must bid farewell to what they love, what they know, and who they are. Slowly but steadily, everything changes. All property becomes worthless, all fortunes shift, and luck favours only a few. Those who can afford it travel to affluent countries while the less well-off depend on government-funded relocation to more challenging destinations. Families, friends, and loved ones are separated. Some will be overcome by hatred and division, while others will nurture love and foster new beginnings. Against this backdrop we meet Laura, a high school student in love for the first time and on the cusp of graduation. When news of the evacuation breaks, the course of Laura and her family's lives are changed forever, and Laura is forced into the impossible dilemma of choosing between the three people she loves the most. Families Like Ours season 1 premieres Friday 20 June on SBS On Demand. The Secret Genius of Modern Life – the show that unpacks the amazing science and mind-boggling innovation behind everyday objects – is back for its third series. Once again Professor Hannah Fry will be your hammer-wielding, tech-savvy tour guide to the extraordinary stories behind everything from Airfryers to Roller Coasters. With series 1 and 2 attracting a loyal audience of millions and social media clips racking up over 20 million views, this is one you don't want to miss… In episode one, it's all about the Air Fryer – a device that's rapidly taking over our kitchens, cooking up everything from bread rolls to baked Alaska and almost making our ovens obsolete! Not bad for something that's only been around for 15 years. Hannah dives into its surprising history, going behind the scenes with Air Fryer originators Philips, and discovers how the accidental creation of a wonder wire in the 1900s, a WWII pilot's cold dinner, and one man tinkering in his garage, brought us this modern marvel that's redefining cooking. The Secret Genius of Modern Life season 3 premieres Saturday 21 June on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS VICELAND starting Saturday 21 June at 6.35pm. The Secret Genius of Modern Life World renowned, Michelin star trained chef, Analiese Gregory is raising the stakes in the new season of her hit SBS series, A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking . The eight-part series will premiere on Monday 23 June at 7.30pm on SBS On Demand and SBS Food. After taking the biggest risk of her life and giving up an international restaurant career for a new life in a 115-year-old cottage in rural Tasmania, in season two Analiese is turning her cottage into a small boutique eatery. In each thirty-minute episode of this stunningly original series, Analiese will source the freshest local ingredients for the menu as she builds to a dramatic opening of her intimate 10-seater eatery. Seeking culinary inspiration for her new eatery, Analiese will dive into exciting new outdoor adventures, including hunting for wallaby, spearfishing and catching lobster by hand as she expands her quest for the best produce and freshest ingredients. Supported by her faithful new dog, a growing collection of farm animals and her local community, Analiese works to transform her farm into being more self-sufficient and ecoconscious. Living sustainably while showcasing new recipes that celebrate the best of pristine Tasmania, this season Analiese creates incredible dishes from land to plate including cauliflower fritters with garlic aioli, lobster cannelloni with a white asparagus sauce, char siu bao (pork roast buns), tender roast leg of lamb, and wallaby rendang. Learn how to eat seasonally, re-connect with nature, and bring some wilderness into your life with A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking . A Girls' Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking premieres Monday 23 June on SBS Food and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS Food starting Monday 23 June at 7.30pm. A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking Amidst the echoes of a small town's past, Lena, a haunted geologist, faces her worst fear: her estranged teenage daughter vanishes alongside kindergarten children in her care. Returning to her hometown, Lena partners with Rafal, a childhood friend now a policeman. Together, they uncover a chilling link to a local businesswoman with a dark facade of philanthropy. As they navigate an eerie underworld of abandoned tunnels and lurking dangers, a question emerges: Could the town's WWII history hold the key? Lena and Rafal's journey intertwines present and past, unveiling a truth that could reshape the town's destiny. Black Daisies season 1 premieres Thursday 26 June on SBS On Demand. Warm Props takes audiences behind the scenes with Charlie (Tehya Makani), who returns to a chaotic film shoot in her hometown in Western Australia and must then face her past as her narcissistic boss threatens the stability of her career and personal life. The heartening series is brought to life by acclaimed creator and writer Jub Clerc ( Mystery Road: Origin , Sweet As ), co-writer Kimberly Benjamin ( Our Medicine , Big Backyard Quiz ), directed by Clerc and Benjamin, and produced by Jodie Bell for Ramu Productions. It also stars Rarriwuy Hick ( True Colours , Erotic Stories , Wentworth, Redfern Now ) and Jillian Nguyen ( Apple Cider Vinegar, Hungry Ghosts ). Principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with SBS, with support from Screenwest and Lotterywest. Developed with assistance of Screen Australia and SBS. Warm Props premieres Thursday 26 June at 8:30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand. You can find Warm Props and more brilliantly unique Digital Originals here . Share this with family and friends SBS's award winning companion podcast. Join host Yumi Stynes for Seen, a new SBS podcast about cultural creatives who have risen to excellence despite a role-model vacuum.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Afternoon Briefing: Illinois lawmakers pass Prisoner Review Board reforms
Good afternoon, Chicago. Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill that would emphasize domestic violence awareness training for members of the state's Prisoner Review Board, which came under criticism after releasing a man from state custody who then allegedly attacked a former girlfriend and fatally stabbed her young son. The bill's passage came 14 months after authorities say Crosetti Brand broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment on Chicago's North Side and attacked her before fatally stabbing her son, 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, when the boy tried to come to her rescue. The 39-year-old Brand is on trial for the attack and Jayden's family has filed a lawsuit against the review board alleging negligence in the case. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope today in St. Peter's Square. Read more here. More top news stories: Judge acquits suburban men of aggravated battery, robbery in Mount Greenwood bar brawl AmeriCorps cuts leave Chicago programs serving kids facing diminished summer Country Club Hills District 160 Board spent $25K on conferences last year; parents raise concerns over school conditions Burton Odelson, the village attorney, told Elite Street that Dolton's recently sworn-in mayor, Jason House, made the decision to proceed with the acquisition with the consent of the Dolton Village Board. Read more here. More top business stories: Target sales drop in 1st quarter and retailer warns they will slip for all of 2025 Environmental advocates worry about Cleveland-Cliffs delayed maintenance Jameson Taillon (3-3) scattered one run and four hits over seven innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out two to snap a two-start losing streak. Read more here. More top sports stories: NFL teams can keep using the tush push after owners vote down proposed ban Man is charged with providing alcohol to 20-year-old Pittsburgh fan who fell from PNC Park outfield wall Some artworks bring the suppressed queerness of their makers or their subjects to the fore. 'The Man in Black' is a 1913 portrait of Art Institute benefactor Robert Henry Allerton by Glyn Philpot, an acclaimed British painter whose work appears throughout 'The First Homosexuals.' Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: 'Couples Therapy' review: The best unscripted show about working through conflict — while the cameras watch — returns for a new season Review: Tom Cruise holds the key to 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' With President Donald Trump's multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package at risk of stalling, House Speaker Mike Johnson and conservative Republican holdouts headed to the White House for the last-ditch talks to salvage the 'big, beautiful bill.' Read more here. More top stories from around the world: Iran insists it will never stop enriching uranium as US says it must if a new deal is to be reached Rapper Kid Cudi to testify at Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial this week
Tom's Guide
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
How to watch 'Couples Therapy' season 4B - Stream online from anywhere
Let's deal with the 4B thing first. "Couples Therapy" season 4B means season 4 part 2 but why they're not calling it that is anybody's guess. However, it's business as usual with nine more episodes and four more couples with seemingly intractable problems. "Couples Therapy" season 4B premieres exclusively on Paramount Plus in the U.S. and internationally — viewers can watch it from anywhere with a VPN. "Couples Therapy" season 4B will premiere on Friday, May 23 with the first three episodes back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT for subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. • U.S./CAN/AUS/U.K. — Paramount Plus• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk-free The press release teases, "Dr. Orna Guralnik navigates a thorny brew of recriminations, conflict and painful truths with four new couples" but is the outlook really that grim? Well, there's a deaf man and his hearing partner torn between sexual freedom and commitment and a therapist-writer duo locked in a zero-sum battle of sacrifice and grievance that causes Dr Guralnik to question he own methods. Oh, and a young couple haunted by trauma and buried secrets and a long-married pair trapped in cycles of bickering and avoidance so it's probably not ideal viewing for a romantic night in. So, yes, quite grim but you both might just learn something... Here's our guide to how to watch "Couples Therapy" season 4B online and from anywhere in the world. In the U.S., "Couples Therapy" premieres on Friday, May 23 with the first three episodes back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. ET. for subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. Paramount Plus (7-day FREE trial) plans start from $7.99/month but for showtime to be included you will need the $12.99 package. If you are traveling outside the U.S. right now and can't access Paramount Plus, try NordVPN to unlock your usual service as if you were at home. Paramount Plus with Showtime has your local CBS station's live feed. Its deep library includes "Survivor" and "Big Brother" episodes, as well as originals like "1923" and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds". The Showtime plan also comes with the network's shows, like "Billions" and "Yellowjackets" and you can catch "Couples Therapy" Season 4B on the platform! Away from home at the moment and blocked from accessing your subscription? You can still watch "Couples Therapy' season 4B thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal when you're away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market – find out why in our NordVPN review. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 7,000 servers, across 110 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend. Get 70% off NordVPN with this deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.K. and want to view an American service, you'd select U.S. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to Paramount Plus and stream new episodes of "Couples Therapy" season 4B online. In Canada, "Couples Therapy" season 4B premieres on Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME plan on Friday, May 23 with the first three episodes back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. ET.. Not in Canada at the moment? Signing up to NordVPN will help you access your usual streaming service when you're overseas. As with Canada, "Couples Therapy" season 4B premieres Down Under on Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME plan. Showtime content is only available on the premium subscription in Australia meaning you will have to fork out AU$13.99 a month to catch the action. Not in Australia at the moment? Use one of the best VPN services to access your usual streaming service. We recommend NordVPN thanks to its speed, reliability and trusted security features. As with everywhere else, Couples Therapy" season 4B premieres in the U.K. on Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME plan. It will also be available for FREE on BBC2 at a date TBA and BBC iPlayer. Outside the U.K.? Don't panic. We recommend using NordVPN to access your usual content. No, not as of yet. Couples Therapy Season 4B will be broadcast on Paramount Plus' Showtime Network. Dr Orna Guralnik is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst practicing in New York City. Dr Guralnik is on faculty at NYU PostDoctoral Institute for Psychoanalysis and at NIP (National Institute for the Psychotherapies) in NYC, where she teaches courses on the trans-generational transmission of trauma, socio-politics/ideology and psychoanalysis, and on dissociation. Currently Dr Guralnik lectures and publishes on the topics of couples treatment and culture, dissociation and depersonalization, as well as culture & psychoanalysis. The first three episodes will begin airing back-to-back at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, May 23. They will then continue in pairs every Friday begining at 9 p.m.. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Couples Therapy' review: The best unscripted show about working through conflict — while the cameras watch — returns for a new season
Someone was recently telling me about a vacation they took with their partner, and when they mentioned some moments of friction that came up, my mind immediately went to 'Couples Therapy.' Everyone experiences conflict in life, even with those closest to you, and it can be tricky to work through that. But the show's psychoanalyst Orna Guralnik is wonderfully perceptive when it comes to helping people talk about what's really going on. The unscripted series returns on Showtime for the second half of Season 4, which premiered last year. Featuring all new couples, it's functionally a new season. (I'm unclear why Showtime makes this confusing distinction, but if I were to guess, it's related to money and maybe results in a cheaper deal on the network's end.) Sometimes people just aren't compatible. But in many cases, the bickering and fights in these relationships are about something deeper. Picking at one another endlessly or obsessing over something that doesn't really matter is a way to fill the space between two people who are trying to make some kind of connection, Guralnik says. But it's all noise and you're 'nowhere real.' The reason analysts might be able to help is that they are trained to 'listen for that and to find a way to move from noise to signal.' Four couples are featured. Rod and Alison have been married for nearly 20 years and they have a dynamic we've seen on the series before: She comes across as a harpy, whereas he is passive-aggressive and then retreats into himself. At one point, the energy feels so contentious that Guralnik stops to ask: Are you fighting right now? No, you'll know when that happens, Alison tells her. To which Guralnik says: 'I'm just curious about the tone.' Alison doesn't deny it: 'Oh, I have a tone.' I couldn't help but laugh because Alison brusque and abrasive — at least she's self-aware! 'This is how it's always been,' she says of her marriage. 'We have no patience for each other.' Another couple, Boris and Jessica, have been together about half as long, but the tension between them is just as intense. They've recently relocated to New York City. She is thriving, but he hates everything about their new life, even though they've finally achieved some stability. 'We are just aliens to each other,' he tells Guralnik. (Boris is the novelist Boris Fishman, and this raises some questions about when the season was filmed; according to his Wikipedia page, in 2024 he began teaching at the University of Austin 'where he lives with his wife and daughter.' Presumably they moved. Presumably they are still together. This is important, considering where they live is a primary source of discord between them.) Kyle and Mondo have been together for six years. The former is deaf and immigrated to the U.S. from Poland as a child. Sometimes he feels smothered by his partner. At other times, because of his disability, he feels left out of things or prefers to spend time with his deaf friends. Kyle also wants an open relationship and Mondo is unenthusiastic about this, while also dealing with other issues, including grief for a mother who died from COVID. Despite their problems, they come across as the couple who seem to have most retained the feelings of affection that first drew them together. Finally, there's Nick and Katherine. 'We're on our own islands,' one of them says. 'We take care of things, the bills are paid. But there isn't love.' He's still working through a difficult experience he had in college that he is initially reluctant to reveal. She has some lingering issues with disordered eating. Both avoid talking about the feelings of insecurity they feel individually, lest those emotions explode beyond their control. I generally find 'Couples Therapy' to be free of the usual gimmicks and tricks that are used to juice most reality TV. But at least one moment gave me pause. A couple is sniping at each other in the waiting area outside Guralnik's office and she can hear them — or so we're led to believe. Whether that's actually the case or a trick of editing, I don't know. We see Guralnik gently stroking her sweet dog Nico, an Alaskan Klee Kai who often accompanies her to work, and it's almost as if she's trying to calm herself before opening the door and inviting them in. But again, this was a rare moment when I questioned if there was some manipulation happening in how that moment is portrayed. Also, the female half of one couple consistently wears an assortment of sweatshirts that have sleeves covered in sequins. It's a distinctive look, so much so that my cynical side wondered if she had a line of sweatshirts she was covertly promoting by wearing them to session. I've always wondered why people agree to bare their lives and messy relationships on the show. It's a question that probably applies to all reality TV, but this one especially requires a vulnerability about one's sexual behaviors, embarrassing flaws and personal history (and what can feel like shameful remnants of long-ago trauma) in ways that seem unique. The participants are not just revealing this to strangers who make up the bulk of the show's viewership, but also, by default, to potentially gossipy friends, neighbors, colleagues and professional acquaintances. Even if your relationship is hanging on by a thread, this feels like a deterrent. Then again, there is no fee paid by the couples here. Guralnik typically charges $700 per session. And she's really good. Maybe, if you're feeling desperate enough — and also exhibitionist enough — it's worth the tradeoff. Whatever the factors compelling people to take part, I'm grateful they're willing to let us see inside the most private moments of their relationships, because with Guralnik's guidance, I always feel smarter and more compassionate about humans in general. The idea that conflict doesn't have to be intractable is so profound as to be easily overlooked. 'I think it's very frightening for people to have a raw, honest experience — in real time — with their partner,' Guralnik says, and as a result, 'there are many ways people avoid real communication.' 'Couples Therapy' is a look at what it means to break down those walls and see what's really behind them. 'Couples Therapy' — 4 stars (out of 4) Where to watch: 8 p.m. Fridays on Showtime (streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime)
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Couples Therapy Could Completely Transform Your Relationship
If you've been lucky enough to find your partner in life, you probably have an entire list of things you love to do together — activities that enrich your relationship, solidify your bond, and keep you on the right track. We've got one more to add: Seeing a therapist. Whether you're dealing with one of the most common relationship problems or you think things are working pretty well right now, the reality is that every couple can benefit from working with someone who's trained in unpacking your emotional baggage and facilitating healthy debate without unnecessary aggression. Mental health professionals have a keen eye for the signs of a healthy relationship, and they also act as unbiased observers who can diffuse tension you may not even realize you're causing. (Plus, their work is utterly fascinating, which is why we're glued to series like Showtime's Couples Therapy, which pulls back the curtain on this intimate process.) In observation of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're looking back at a 2022 conversation with licensed therapist Kier Gaines, who shares the scoop on this potentially relationship-saving practice. (Gaines has previously given us the lowdown on what you should know before trying therapy and how to recognize when your work is paying off.) 'There is this fear deep within some people that, 'If I go to marital counseling, I'm going to get a divorce, or maybe we'll break up, or maybe things will happen in my marriage and my relationship will go downhill,' and I completely disagree,' Gaines says. The truth is it's always the right time to see a couples therapist. Their professional expertise is just as valuable to couples who are preparing to make a big decision, like getting married or having a child, as it is to those who are in crisis or considering a split. Gaines has personal experience with this from both sides of the equation. In addition to helping his own clients navigate relationship issues, he and his wife benefited greatly from seeing a therapist together before walking down the aisle. 'The best thing that my fiancée — now wife — and I ever did was go to premarital counseling,' he says. 'It taught us that the issues we had with each other actually had nothing to do with the other person. It was about our stuff from the past, our relationships with our parents, and our former relationships. All of that stuff that didn't exist within the circle of us was infecting the circle of us.' It worked so well, in fact, that they're currently planning another round of visits. 'My wife and I haven't gone to therapy in a year, but we're about to start going back,' he says. 'It's not because anything is wrong. Our marriage is actually great. It's because we want to keep it great. We want to make sure that we're dealing with a new baby and new jobs and new responsibilities in a way that is healthy and equally supportive of both parties in the relationship.' You've heard the old saying that there are three sides to every story: Your side, my side, and the truth. In the case of couples in a committed relationship, each person's unique perspective — including their early life experiences, the things they learned from previous partners, and the patterns they've observed in the current relationship — make it difficult to see a disagreement from their mate's point of view. 'There's nothing like an impartial party in the room that two people can both give their perspective to, and that person can give clarity to the situation, allow both people to have voices, and give you the means to have conflict with one another and figure it out yourselves,' Gaines says. In the heat of the moment during a period of relationship stress, it can often be near impossible to take a step back and logically examine what's happening, which causes us to miss important cues in our partner's behavior — and many times, the most fundamental part of their message is hiding between the lines of what they're saying. A trained therapist can observe from a helpful remove, which allows for much greater clarity about what's really going on. In fact, part of your therapist's job is to take their personal opinions out of the equation — which is, of course, the opposite of what the two halves of the couple in question are meant to be doing. And that personal distance is exactly what allows them to illuminate the pathway to more productive communication. 'In therapy, you'll learn the tools to not just vent your frustrations at one another, but talk to each other in a way that the other person can understand what you're feeling and help you problem-solve,' Gaines says. 'When you're pissed off or when you have kids — when marriage is what it really is, and not the happy fantasy that people try to pretend it is — it's important to have somebody help you navigate all of that.' So many partners bond through their faith and come to better understand one another through the context of their beliefs. But ideally, religion-oriented solutions should be one piece of a bigger puzzle when it comes to dealing with your mental health as individuals and as a couple. 'It's important to say that even though in our religious communities we have counselors who do an amazing job, if you do see a religious counselor, I suggest that you also see a licensed clinician, like a licensed marriage and family therapist,' Gaines recommends. While members of your church offer deeply valuable insight into how your beliefs can help you make sense of the struggles within your relationship, they're not necessarily trained in understanding the behavioral nuances of how a couple communicates or how their personal quirks might influence the dynamic between them. 'Pastors and religious leaders have great skills and they're able to take the word and the theory of religion and spirituality and apply it, but there are specific clinical interventions that therapists are trained on and they're not, and those can come in handy in your relationship,' he says. The post Couples Therapy Could Completely Transform Your Relationship appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
