Couples Therapy

Main relationship difficulty: “Should I stay or should I go?”

“Some couples are just right for each other. Maybe we are not that kind of couple.”

Associated Anxiety: 

How do we know if this relationship is the one to keep investing in? What truly keeps us together? Should we split up before it’s too late to find true love? Going back out there into the harsh dating market feels so daunting. Are we together because we are afraid of being alone?  How much time do we have left? Do we just have to settle?

What to work on: 

The concept of finding the “right one” is misleading and makes people confused, insecure and sometimes outright panicked. Sharing similar values is a helpful condition for relationship harmony, but not a guarantee. In couples therapy or relationship counseling at Vienna Praxis, you will learn to approach the question of a “good fit” with emotional security and self reflection. You will gain more awareness of your “relationship self” which denotes a better understanding of your own as well as your partner’s subjective experience of your togetherness.  

Main relationship difficulty: “There is no more desire or passion.”

“It is normal for relationships to lose their spark. Feeling love struck, those butterflies, the passion, being obsessed with each other, aren’t all these emotions short lived and a function of our hormones going wild?”

Associated Anxiety:  

The honeymoon phase is over. The fire has died down. Sex and passionate feelings are rare or completely passé. Can we be content with just companionship? Can we exist without curiosity, passion and excitement? What if we get too bored, too indifferent, too blah? What if one of us cheats to feel alive again?

What to work on:

It is true that at the beginning of a relationship, the novelty effect drives our emotions and lifts us into experiencing the highest heights while blocking out inconvenient aspects of reality.  But that doesn’t mean that once the honeymoon phase is over, we are doomed to co-exist gloomily next to each other. Vienna Praxis couples therapy experts can help you gain more insight into subconscious factors that keep you stuck. Many couples struggle with finding the right balance between the need for security and the longing for passion. You will learn how to open up about your feelings, improve your communication skills and emphasize authenticity over defensiveness. .   

Main relationship difficulty: “It feels like I have to do all the work.” 

One partner feels unfairly taken advantage of.  Unequal distribution of investment in the relationship. Relationship responsibilities have shifted into score keeping.

Associated Anxiety: 

This relationship does not feel like it’s based on love, fairness, mutual respect and support. There is a deep sense of distrust. The couple’s dynamic becomes watchful and vigilant. One or both partners are driven by the fear and suspicion that they contribute significantly more than the other. 

What to work on: 

Relationships are teamwork. Over time, partners tend to naturally fall into a system of mutual support depending on (assumed) roles and personal strengths (classic examples can be kids’ doctors appointments versus filing taxes). However, toxicity insidiously enters the relationship if one partner feels taken advantage of.

In relationship counseling and couples treatment at Vienna Praxis we will help you gently untangle feelings of frustration, resentment and anger. These emotions can be frightening and confusing and are therefore often bottled up which only has the effect of breeding more resentment.