Marriage Counseling in the UAE

Abstract

Most adults in the world fall into one of the following categories: they were married at one time, they are currently married, or they expect to be married in the future. Such is the strong appeal of being close to another human being. Despite its universal appeal, marriage is not easy. Each person comes with his or her own set of expectations about many things, including roles, rules, behaviors, emotions, values, and attitudes. Despite the very best efforts of the individuals (in Western societies) or the family (in Eastern societies) to choose partners that will be best suited to each other for a lifetime, it remains very difficult to get right. In that sense marriage will always be about adjusting, accommodating, negotiating, and trying to find ways to be together in the most desirable way. For some fortunate ones this may seem an easy task; for many others however, it is a struggle. For those who struggle there are options. Divorce is one of them, but is never an easy choice, and is full of complications. Some couples settle; that is, they decide to accept the things they don’t like and try to get on with life. These couples may have commitment, but not much passion or friendship in their marriages. Others seek help, often from family and friends whose advice is sometimes good, often not. As well intentioned as they may be, advice givers have limited perspectives and many biases that stem from their own experiences. Finally, some couples choose to seek professional help for their issues, hoping that a third party free of prejudice or bias will help them find solutions. This option is sometimes successful, sometimes not, and perhaps too often, a last resort.