The goal of a couples therapist is to help two married people to better understand each other’s wishes and needs. However, sometimes this is easier said than done in Texas. Should the therapist suggest that the couple get a divorce if the future of their marriage looks bleak?
Therapists in general agree that recommending divorce in couples therapy is a major no-no. In fact, it is typically viewed as unethical. Instead, therapists strive to let two spouses who are at odds with each other make their own decisions about whether to continue fighting for their marriage or end the relationship.
However, not all therapists take this approach. In some cases, a couples therapist may recommend that a couple get divorced because they cannot overcome their issues. Still, the same couple may end up going to another therapist and over time make immense progress, indicating that even the marriages that appear to be the worst off can have happy endings.
Of course, sometimes no amount of counseling can help a married couple to get along, in which case divorce is unavoidable. In this situation, the two spouses may want to consider completing informal negotiations to resolve matters such as the division of property or alimony, rather than going to divorce trial. After all, at trial, a judge will have to decide these matters for them, and the outcome may not necessarily be what either party would have wanted. An attorney can provide the direction needed to navigate even the most complex of divorce proceedings in Texas.
Source: huffingtonpost.com, “Do Couples Therapists Ever Suggest Divorce?“, Brittany Wong, April 2, 2018
