When your wedding anniversary is on the horizon, you'll commonly get busy thinking of a perfect gift to give your spouse. It could be a piece of jewelry, some clothing, or tickets to an event that you'll attend together. Don't be afraid to think outside the box a little and present him or her with the gift of one or more marriage counseling sessions. Some counselors sell gift cards, but if your preferred counselor doesn't, you can make up a little note to explain the gift. Marriage counseling might seem like a different type of wedding anniversary gift, but there's lots of value in choosing it. Here are some reasons why.
There Are Probably Areas To Work On
Whether you're celebrating your first anniversary or it's a milestone number such as 10 years, there's almost certainly something that you can work on as a couple. This is true even if you feel as though your marriage is just about perfect. Marriage counseling isn't always about fixing a bad marriage — often, it can be effective for making a good one even better. Giving the gift of counseling for you and your spouse is something that you'll enjoy together, and that can make the next months and years even better.
It Shows That You Care
While there's little doubt that a thoughtful gift demonstrates that you care about your spouse, it's easy to argue that giving the gift of marriage counseling suggests that you care about your relationship a considerable amount. Some married couples can become a little apathetic as the years go on when it comes to improving their relationships; what might have been a priority in your first few years of marriage may not seem as important, for whatever reason. Regardless of how long you've been married, showing your spouse that you value your union is integral.
It's Money Well Spent
Depending on how much you customarily spend on an anniversary gift, you may be able to get one or more marriage counseling sessions. It's easy to argue that the lasting positive impact of these sessions makes this gift a good investment. Earrings or concert tickets are things that the person will enjoy, but that won't really impact his or her daily life — or your life as a couple. If you take the money that you'd spend on a conventional gift and put it toward marriage counseling, this is money well spent.
For more information, reach out to counselors like Barbara Saban, LCSW.
For a long time, I wasn't sure if my counseling was really working or not. It felt like no matter what I did, I just couldn't stay on top of my personal frustrations, so I started addressing those concerns with my counselor. I was able to find a counselor who really understood what I was up against, and it was really neat to talk with her about everything that I was having a hard time with. We chatted about everything in my life ranging from the initial issues I started having to my daily struggles at work, and I felt like those early talks were helping a lot. On this blog, find out more about working with counselors and making things right.