A long distance relationship can be extremely difficult on both partners in a relationship, and learning how to cope with the distance between the two of you can be difficult at best. Long distance relationships, while difficult, are still just as likely to succeed as any other relationship. As long as the bond is nurtured while the two people are apart, it is still possible to grow and build a wonderful relationship even when two people must be apart.
Understanding Expectations through Couples Counseling
Couples therapy can help all sorts of couples, even long distance ones
With a long distance relationship, defining your expectations is very important to understanding how you will move forward with the relationship. You will need to decide how much of a commitment both of you are willing to make and what your goals are for the long-term with this relationship. Understanding your expectations and the expectations of the other person is a great way to open up communication and see if both of you are on the same page as far as where you want to end up after the separation is over. Couples counseling can help you learn how to best discuss your expectations with your partner so that you know how the relationship will develop as time goes on.
Building Trust in Couples Counseling
Another important area to address for any couple that is currently in a long distance relationship is trust. A long distance relationship simply cannot thrive without trust, and this is one of the most important areas to discuss with your partner. Couples counseling can help you work through any trust issues that you currently have and establish a stronger bond with your partner while you are living separately.
Couples Therapy for Long Distance Relationships
Long distance relationships can be very successful with the right mindset and the right attitude. Individual and couples counseling can be helpful to couples in a long distance relationship. It gives you the opportunity to discuss your relationship, your expectations, and your trust in the other person. It can also help you learn healthy ways to communicate so that you can keep your bond strong even while you are living in different areas of the world.
If you are in a long distance relationship, our couples counselors at Marriage and Couples Counseling can help you work through any struggles that you might be having with living away from your partner and give you advice on how best to communicate over long distances to keep the passion and love alive.
I often do Skype sessions with couples living thousands of miles apart, some for short periods of time, others for much longer periods. One member of the couple will be here with me Skyping with the other in a another city.
An important thing that I encourage them to do is to Skype with each other at least once a day, ideally (if they’re in the same time zone) when they go to bed. One couple I work with told me they leave their Skype running and when they wake up in the morning they see frozen pictures of each other with their eyes closed and their noses all scrunched up.
I can’t do this with my wife who’s typically in a different time zone then me when she’s traveling for her job, especially in the past month. I do, however complain a lot. Yesterday, for example, I told her we’ve been spending more Skype time together than real, live, sensuous body time!