Supporting Your Partner During Trying Times
Going through trying times alone can be difficult and could lead to extreme despair, especially if it involves a tragic loss, career setbacks, miscarriage, accidents etc. Imagine having a partner undergoing such difficult time, it can be so disheartening to witness such. As a partner in a relationship, you are committed to helping out your partner, especially during trying times. Being there for your partner shows that you truly love and care for him or her.
Grieving can be so extreme that it leaves you handicapped and at loss of actions to alleviate the suffering of your partner. If not nipped in the bud, it can have a strain on your relationship or possibly drift you both apart. It is important to seek relationship counseling to enable you help your partner deal with his or her grieving period.
The following are ways of supporting your partner during trying times:
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Be Empathetic
Showing empathy means you understand what your partner is going through, and you know how it feels. It isn't the time to say, "It's going to be fine", but rather the time to say, "That's bad" or "It's not fair" to show that you are listening to your partner and you understand what he or she is passing through. The best way to show empathy is to acknowledge the loss your partner is going through. For more information about how to show empathy, attend a relationship counseling session in Orlando that will guide you in the right path.
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Be physically and emotionally available
Being available is a great way to show support for your partner. Physically, let your partner know that you are willing to stay with them as needed, you want to hold his or her hands, caress his or her face and listen to the rants about his or her feelings. Be emotionally supportive, reduce stress and help your partner heal by communicating as well as promoting emotional gestures like doing the things he or she appreciates.
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Remove stressors that can prolong grieving
Many times, the grieving process is always prolonged as a result of different stressors the person grieving is exposed to. Your partner is at a risk of a prolonged grieving process, if exposed to stressors like difficult family members, financial burdens, additional responsibilities and inadequate love and care from you. It is important that you serve as an intermediary between the stressors and your partner. You can reduce contact with difficult family members, alleviate the financial burdens and take on the additional responsibilities while providing adequate love and care, to enable your partner to heal on time.
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Be yourself
This is the best way to support your partner during trying times. Your partner knows you best and he or she would benefit from the REAL you during the trying times. You should not tip toe or treat your partner differently because of the situation, neither should you change your attitude towards him or her. Relationship counseling can teach you how to be yourself for your partner's sake.
Orlando Thrive Therapy is a relationship counseling organization that specializes in resolving relationship conflicts, alleviating anxiety issues, and providing individual support through therapy. Heather Oller is a licensed mental health counselor in Orlando, with experience and a unique approach towards relationship counseling in Orlando.
