{"id":374,"date":"2012-02-08T13:02:25","date_gmt":"2012-02-08T19:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/?page_id=374"},"modified":"2023-11-18T13:09:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T19:09:49","slug":"individual-marriage-counseling","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/?page_id=374","title":{"rendered":"Marriage Counseling by One Individual?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes marriage counseling is better facilitated by one individual.<\/strong><\/em> Generally speaking, marriage therapy requires both spouses be present. However, that is not always possible. On partner may be resistant to counseling. Or possibly travel or proximity is not conducive for both to be present. However, I often see that one individual can make huge progress that benefits the marriage as a whole.<\/p>\n

ONE INDIVIDUAL<\/strong><\/em> can create change in a marriage relationship!<\/strong>\u00a0 Some believe that a family system is \u201clocked\u201d in place and cannot move without agreement from both parties.\u00a0 While this is generally true, it is not absolute.\u00a0 When one person is dedicated to change \u2013 with or without the agreement of others \u2013 the system must eventually adapt.\u00a0 If done in the Lord, there is much hope for the better.<\/p>\n

When I work with one individual and marriage is involved, this primary relationship becomes the pinnacle for movement and change.\u00a0 Scripture reminds us that God\u2019s Word does not come back to Him void, without accomplishing the purpose for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11).\u00a0 When an individual lives in God\u2019s truth, good things are allowed<\/em> to happen in that relationship.\u00a0 Of course, truth must always be tempered in love.\u00a0 God\u2019s truth has its greatest effect when it is lived out<\/em>, rather than shouted<\/em> out.\u00a0 Learning about grace and mercy is paramount to affect any relationship \u2013 especially in marriage where two are so closely bonded.<\/p>\n

So … can one individual have an affect on marriage?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes indeed!\u00a0 One individual can have a great impact on his or her marriage.\u00a0 In fact, I have seen incredible changes occur and lives completely transformed when God is at the center of the relationship.\u00a0 I recall a time when a spouse called me and exclaimed, \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doing with my husband, Tom.\u00a0 But whatever it is keep doing it!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Of course, I immediately asked if she would like to pray for her husband, and give glory to God for what He<\/em> is doing in her husband.\u00a0 When the Lord goes home with you, it is bound to make a difference.<\/p>\n

Not that it is always easy.\u00a0 Sometimes circumstances get \u201cworse\u201d before they get better.\u00a0 Systems don\u2019t necessarily like to change!\u00a0 They may (at least initially) reject new ideas and prefer to remain stuck.\u00a0 To some, familiar<\/em> misery is more comfortable than new change \u2013 the unknown can be scary, or too much work.\u00a0 Nevertheless, as one individual perseveres in the Lord, things can never be the same.<\/p>\n

We have an adversary called the devil who is vested in the destruction of God\u2019s children.\u00a0 The Apostle Paul says,<\/p>\n

\u201cOur struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms\u201d (Ephesians 6:12)<\/em><\/p>\n

We must persevere and grow in character.\u00a0 Then, as James the brother of Jesus wrote,
\n… \u00a0\u00a0 “We will be lacking in nothing!”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I pray your marriage be everything God intends, and lack nothing. God bless!<\/p>\n

Thomas Isaac Berscheid, MA, LMFT, LPC
\nOrdained Minister & Certified Life Coach
\n____________________________________________________
\n700 Twelve Oaks Center Drive, Suite 264 \u2013 Wayzata, MN 55391
\nPhone: 763-227-3431<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2015 all rights reserved<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes marriage counseling is better facilitated by one individual. Generally speaking, marriage therapy requires both spouses be present. However, that is not always possible. On partner may be resistant to counseling. Or possibly travel or proximity is not conducive for … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-374","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=374"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":776,"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions\/776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/berscheidcounseling.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}