Relationship Coaching is a specialization within Life Coaching that helps people find greater fulfillment in their personal relationships. It is a positive, results oriented focus on present and future problem solving. Coaching can help you clear your thinking, gain perspective, clarify relationship issues, and set goals to develop a more secure and harmonious relationship.
Relationship coaching differs from couples or marriage counseling. It assumes that all clients are emotionally healthy and fully capable of success. Often couples seek counseling after the relationship is badly broken, sadly sometimes beyond repair. Coaching is not suitable for dealing with an extramarital affair, sexual dysfunction, addictions, or any form of violence, abuse or trauma. Those issues exceed the scope of practice for a coach and would require a referral.
Coaching presumes that both individuals want to create a stronger connection and move forward together which ideally involves participation from both partners. However, if your partner is not open to it, you can also opt to do coaching alone, to better understand your role in relationships and how you can improve them. Relationship coaching is not limited to a family connection. Coaching can also illuminate your role in other relationships that could use strengthening, such as with friends and colleagues.
Topics in relationship coaching might include:
Creating a relationship vision
Developing a deeper connection
Improving communication
Increasing trust and intimacy
Resolving conflicts
~Linda Peterson, PhD, CLC, CHC
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