As a Bethesda Couples Counselor, I know the benefit of being more mindful- mindful of our emotions, mindful of our environment, and mindful of our behavior.
Having this conscious awareness can be beneficial in many areas of life, but in particular, mindfulness helps couples find more peace in their relationship.
Mindfulness allows you to focus your awareness on the present moment. It creates an opportunity to acknowledge and accept feelings, thoughts, and sensations and can be used as a Bethesda Couples Therapy technique.
It can be easy to become disconnected from your partner or feel pulled in many different directions between work, household responsibilities, friends, and kids. This can result in tension, frustration, or just a lack of peaceful quality time with each other. The good news is that research has shown that couples who are more mindful have higher relationship quality.
So here are 3 Ways Mindfulness Helps Couples Find Peace in their Relationship.
Mindful people are more attentive to their partners.
It can be easy to get into autopilot mode when we get home from work. We pick up the kids, make dinner, then maybe give our work email another check. However, when we become more aware of this, we can intentionally redirect our attention to what our partner says, needs, or feels. Being more present in our relationships can build intimacy and help couples feel more connected.
Mindfulness can help resolve conflict.
When we are more mindful of our thoughts and emotions, we can approach conflict in a much healthier way. Couples have the opportunity to regulate their emotional reactions, not take things so personally, and empathize with their partner. When we can approach conflict with our partners with nonjudgmental awareness, keeping our cool and resolving conflict much quicker is easier.
Mindful People Have More Gratitude.
It can be easy to take things for granted in your relationships. Whether it’s the big things, like household chores, or the little things, like making your morning coffee and picking up your favorite ice cream- sometimes those efforts go unnoticed or unacknowledged. When we pay attention to and appreciate our partners, it’s helpful to express that! Studies show that the more grateful people are, the more satisfied they are in their relationships- but only if that gratitude goes both ways.
As a Bethesda Couples Counselor, I hear from my clients that they desire happier, healthier relationships. Engaging in a Mindfulness Practice alongside couples therapy can improve the satisfaction of relationships. Mindfulness allows us to be more present, emotionally mature, and grateful- all of which can result in more peace as a couple.
If you would like more support, contact one of our Bethesda Couples Counselors today.
