All healthcare is delivered in relationships between professionals and patients, and this relationship is particularly central to mental healthcare. The doctor-patient relationship and communication may indirectly improve your treatment outcome. A healthy relationship with your psychiatrist and therapist will translate into your more personal relationships. The more your psychiatrist knows about you the better she will be able to help you with the right treatments.
Mental illness in couple relationships
The impact of mental illness on a couple’s relationship has often been an overlooked. Due to the traditional practice of mental health professionals focusing on symptoms within the individual, and overlooking the patterns of how individuals relate to each other in a couple relationship.
But it has been known for a long time that when it comes to couples, individuals who have a mental illness can have a negative impact on their spouse’s or partner’s mental health.
How to cope with a mentally ill spouse?
It is possible to fall into a pattern where managing the illness is centered around the relationship. The stress can often reach crisis level threatening the stability of your marriage or relationship. Dr Michelle Vlok-Barnard can help you navigate around dealing with the mental illnes and a partner can provide a good support structure.
Couples counselling
This type of counselling is designed to explore relationship dynamics, and how you both relate and collaborate with one another. It is essential that we create and maintain healthy relationships that practice good communication, and are built on mutual respect. Couples counselling encourages positive relationship interaction.
Counselling often starts when the couple is in crisis, but you need to know that all couples are capable of having destructive behaviours and interaction styles. Couples therapy can help partners improve their communication and problem-solving skills, and refocus on strengths to enhance their resiliency. Having a third and neutral voice can help identify what the real issues are because it can be challenging to initiate uncomfortable conversations.