Coping with Stress
Coping with stress can be hard for couples. Tensions are high during stressful times which can easily trigger bickering and arguing between couples.
Examples of stress include:
- Work stress
- Parenting
- Household responsibilities
- Caring for an elderly parent
- Health concerns
- Chronic illness
- Acute illness
- Finances
Learning some helpful tips for coping with stress can help couples manage how they react and treat each other during stressful times.
Coping with Stress – Tip #1
Remember you’ve both got each other’s back!
You’re both in this together. What’s affecting one partner will also impact the other.
It’s important to truly know your partner is there for you, is on your side, and understands you. This allows you both to continue building the foundation of friendship, care and understanding of each other. So when stressful times arise, you both know you’re a team and can lean on each other.
Coping with Stress – Tip #2
Remember to stay flexible!
When circumstances are causing stress, it’s common to want to try and control whatever you can to feel like you’ve got a handle on things. To help feel like things aren’t so out of control.
But often when we start this cycle, we can become more rigid and less flexible with ourselves and with our partners.
Some examples of what rigidity looks like when coping with stress are:
- Not asking your spouse or partner for help and thinking you can handle it all, or you can do it all
- Not opening up and talking with your partner about what you’re going through
- Negative thinking and more pessimistic about our partner, themselves, or others
When you’re more flexible with each other, you can talk with each other about the stress you’re feeling. You can ask for support and can remember you’re not alone. That you and your partner are in this together.
Coping with Stress – Tip #3
Get outside support.
Seeing a professional therapist can help couples struggling from the effects of coping with stress.
Stress can be based on the daily hassles of life or they can be ongoing and chronic like a long term illness. All of which take a toll on both partners and the relationship.
A professional couple therapist can help you through this time and learn how to stay connected while coping with stress together.
If you live in Austin, TX, and would like more information or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact me.
*Blog is for educational and informational purposes only.
