According to recent research, only 19 percent of currently married couples have taken part in marriage counseling. Nearly two-thirds of divorced couples never sought marriage counseling before ending their marriages. The research is clear: when it comes to our marriages, we're hesitant to ask for help.<\/p>\n\n
As a matter of fact, one researcher, a professor of psychology at the University of Miami, recently claimed, "It seems like we're even more resistant to thinking about getting help for [our marriages] than we are for depression or anxiety." This expert suggested why married couples resist outside help: many couples assume that an admission of marriage problems implies personal and marital failure.<\/p>\n\n
But confessing marital strife and working on the underlying issues can definitely improve the relationship. A current study is tracking 217 couples who are taking part in an annual "marriage checkup" that offers preventive care, dealing with marital problems as they arise. The idea is simple: if we get regular checkups for our bodies, our teeth, and our finances, it also makes sense to have at least a yearly checkup for our marriages.<\/p>\n\n
The study hasn't been finalized yet, but the researchers are already identifying a clear pattern: couples who take time for the yearly marriage checkup experience a greater level of marital satisfaction. That's probably not a big surprise, but the researchers also provide a practical application and challenge: take action now (perhaps with an annual checkup) by working on those seemingly small marital issues before they boil over into a crisis.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"template":"","tax_ctp_audience":[],"tax_ctp_authors":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[165],"tax_ctp_format":[171],"tax_ctp_illustration_types":[410],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[446],"tax_publications":[140],"tax_ctp_tags":[3640,3641,3698,3726,3823,4196,4425,4858,5068,5255,5270,5285],"tax_ctp_topics":[390],"class_list":["post-44253","sermon-illustrations","type-sermon-illustrations","status-publish","hentry","tax_publications-ct-pastors","tax_ctp_tags-commitment","tax_ctp_tags-communication","tax_ctp_tags-counseling","tax_ctp_tags-culture","tax_ctp_tags-divorce","tax_ctp_tags-husband","tax_ctp_tags-marriage","tax_ctp_tags-romantic-love","tax_ctp_tags-spouse","tax_ctp_tags-vows","tax_ctp_tags-weddings","tax_ctp_tags-wives"],"acf":{"scripture_references":[{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null}]},"yoast_head":"\n