Relationships & Couples

Relationships can be an important source of connection, support, companionship, and stability. They can also become a significant source of stress when communication breaks down, trust is damaged, conflict becomes repetitive, or partners begin feeling disconnected from one another.

Relationship difficulties do not necessarily mean that a relationship is unhealthy or destined to end. Most relationships experience periods of conflict, change, and uncertainty. Understanding the patterns behind those difficulties can help couples decide what they want to change and whether counseling may be useful.

Clinically Reviewed by Dr. Angel Corbin, DBH, LPC, LAC
Last reviewed: September 2026

Relationship problems rarely have one simple cause. Couples bring different personalities, experiences, expectations, communication styles, family backgrounds, and ways of responding to stress into a relationship.

Difficulties can develop gradually or follow a specific event. Work demands, financial stress, parenting, health problems, sexual concerns, family responsibilities, grief, major life changes, or differences in priorities can all place additional pressure on a relationship.

Sometimes the original disagreement becomes less important than the pattern that develops around it.

Repeated arguments are common in distressed relationships. A couple may appear to be arguing about money, household responsibilities, parenting, sex, schedules, or another everyday issue while repeatedly falling into the same underlying interaction.

One partner may pursue a conversation while the other withdraws. One may become increasingly critical while the other becomes defensive. Both partners may feel unheard and respond more strongly, creating a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to interrupt.

Over time, couples can become so familiar with the pattern that they anticipate the other person's response before the conversation has even begun.

Recognizing the pattern does not automatically resolve the disagreement, but it can shift the focus from “Which one of us is the problem?” toward “What keeps happening between us?”

Good communication involves more than simply talking.

Partners may communicate frequently while still misunderstanding one another, avoiding important subjects, becoming defensive, interrupting, assuming intentions, or struggling to express needs clearly.

Communication difficulties can include:

• Frequent arguments that do not resolve anything
• Feeling unheard or misunderstood
• Avoiding difficult conversations
• Becoming defensive during disagreements
• Criticism, sarcasm, or contempt
• Shutting down or withdrawing
• Difficulty expressing needs or emotions
• Making assumptions about a partner's intentions
• Struggling to compromise or solve problems together
• Allowing disagreements to escalate quickly

Stress, fatigue, resentment, anxiety, depression, trauma, and previous relationship experiences can also affect how people communicate with their partners.

Not every struggling relationship involves frequent arguments.

Some couples gradually become emotionally distant. Conversations may become focused primarily on schedules, children, work, household responsibilities, or other practical matters.

Partners may begin feeling more like roommates than romantic partners.

Emotional disconnection can develop after years of unresolved conflict, but it can also occur when life becomes demanding and the relationship receives less attention. Parenting, careers, caregiving responsibilities, illness, financial stress, and other pressures can leave couples with little time or energy for one another.

Sometimes both partners recognize the distance. In other relationships, one partner may feel disconnected long before the other realizes there is a problem.

Trust can be damaged in many ways.

Infidelity is one example, but secrecy, dishonesty, broken promises, financial decisions, substance use, repeated boundary violations, or other behaviors can also affect a partner's sense of security in the relationship.

After trust has been damaged, couples may experience anger, anxiety, repeated questioning, suspicion, guilt, resentment, or uncertainty about whether the relationship can recover.

Rebuilding trust generally requires more than simply deciding to move forward. It may involve understanding what happened, establishing appropriate boundaries, improving communication, demonstrating reliability over time, and deciding what each person needs in order to continue the relationship.

Not every relationship continues after a significant betrayal. Counseling can also help people clarify what they want and make thoughtful decisions about the future of the relationship.

Emotional and physical intimacy can change throughout a relationship.

Differences in sexual desire, stress, parenting, health problems, medications, body-image concerns, unresolved conflict, aging, menopause, pregnancy, trauma, and other factors can affect sexual and emotional connection.

Couples sometimes avoid discussing intimacy because the subject feels uncomfortable or because previous conversations have resulted in hurt feelings or conflict.

Relationship counseling can provide a setting for discussing intimacy, expectations, emotional connection, and communication surrounding sexual concerns. Medical concerns affecting sexual functioning may also warrant evaluation by an appropriate healthcare professional.

Becoming parents can significantly change a relationship.

Couples may disagree about discipline, responsibilities, schedules, finances, boundaries, extended family, or how much time and attention each partner gives to parenting.

The demands of caring for children can also reduce the time couples have for their own relationship.

Blended families can introduce additional challenges involving stepparenting, former partners, different household expectations, divided loyalties, and relationships among children and adults.

Relationship difficulties involving parenting do not necessarily mean either partner is a poor parent. They may reflect different expectations, experiences, or approaches that need to be discussed more effectively.

Relationships often change when life changes.

Marriage, having a child, moving, changing careers, retirement, illness, disability, caregiving, children leaving home, financial changes, and the death of someone important can alter roles and expectations within a relationship.

Even positive changes can create stress.

Partners may adapt to change at different speeds or have different ideas about what the next stage of their lives should look like. These differences can create conflict or distance even in relationships that were previously stable.

Disagreement is a normal part of relationships. The goal of a healthy relationship is not to eliminate every conflict.

However, certain patterns deserve particular attention.

Repeated humiliation, intimidation, threats, coercion, controlling behavior, physical violence, sexual violence, or fear of a partner are different from ordinary relationship disagreements.

When someone's safety is at risk, traditional couples counseling may not be appropriate. Individualized professional support and safety planning may be more important.

Relationship counseling provides a structured setting for couples to examine the patterns affecting their relationship.

Depending on the couple's concerns and goals, counseling may focus on communication, conflict resolution, trust, emotional connection, intimacy, parenting, boundaries, major life changes, or decisions about the future of the relationship.

A counselor's role is not simply to decide which partner is right.

Instead, counseling can help identify recurring patterns, improve communication, clarify needs and expectations, develop healthier ways of handling disagreements, and help partners better understand both themselves and one another.

Relationship counseling is also not limited to couples whose relationships are close to ending. Some couples seek counseling because they recognize a recurring problem and want to address it before it becomes more difficult.

There is no particular level of conflict a relationship must reach before counseling is appropriate.

Couples may consider counseling when they repeatedly have the same unresolved arguments, communication has become difficult, emotional or physical intimacy has declined, trust has been damaged, major life changes are creating stress, or one or both partners feel increasingly disconnected.

Counseling may also be useful when a couple is uncertain about the future of the relationship and wants a structured setting in which to understand their concerns and options.

Both partners do not have to agree about exactly what the problem is before beginning counseling.

Etheria Counseling provides outpatient counseling for couples and relationship concerns.

Our clinicians work with couples experiencing communication difficulties, recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, trust concerns, parenting and family stress, major life transitions, and other relationship challenges.

Accepting New Clients

In-Person: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Telehealth: Throughout South Carolina
Insurance: Medicare, Medicaid, and major insurance plans
Self-Pay: Available

If you and your partner are considering professional help, learn more about Marriage Counseling at Etheria Counseling or contact us to schedule an appointment.

Call 843-868-6200 or use our online scheduling option to get started.

American Psychological Association — Relationships and healthy communication

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) — Psychotherapies

National Domestic Violence Hotline — Information and support related to relationship abuse and safety