TL;DR: After 12 years together, facing challenges and recent distancing, my partner and I are entering couples therapy to explore and possibly rejuvenate our relationship. Looking for insights and experiences from those who have undergone couples therapy.

Hello - I recently entered a new chapter with my partner of over 12 years, moving towards couples therapy after recognizing the need for deeper understanding and growth between us. Our journey together includes 2 years of friendship and dating, followed by 8 years of cohabitation filled with love and occasional conflicts that we managed to navigate, and finally, the last 1.5 to 2 years saw us drifting apart. This distance emerged gradually, becoming more pronounced as we explored an open relationship, which brought challenges in communication about our desires and needs.

Reflecting on our journey, I recognize the complexity of our relationship dynamics, acknowledging that there are always multiple perspectives to consider. Although I’ve felt that a lack of maturity and vulnerability contributed to our challenges, I’m committed to understanding my own role in our evolution and am open to exploring this in therapy.

As we step into couples therapy, with a hope to honor the depth of our shared history and rebuild our connection on new grounds, I’m reaching out to this community for your wisdom and experiences. Whether you’ve found success, faced challenges, or landed somewhere in between, I’d love to hear your story. How has couples therapy impacted your relationship? What lessons did you learn, and how did it shape your understanding of yourself and your partner?

Your insights will be incredibly valuable to me and possibly others in similar situations. Thank you for sharing your journey. 💙