The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous challenges for governments, companies, and even families. If you feel as though the relationship between you and your significant other is a little strained, it's possible that the challenges of the pandemic are at least partly to blame. The good news is that you don't have to face this difficult time alone. A few sessions with a relationship counselor — something that you can safely do by video conference, if desired — can be beneficial. Here are some reasons that relationship therapy may be needed during the COVID-19 age.

You're Spending More Time Together

Even if you enjoy spending time with your significant other, you may be spending more time together than usual. For example, you might have previously worked in separate locations, but you now find yourselves both working at home. While spending more time together has some advantages, it can also present some challenges. When you're always together, conflicts can sometimes arise. Relationship counseling can help you to work through whatever challenges you're facing as a result of spending more time together, which will ideally help you to better enjoy this unique time in your lives.

You May Be Under More Stress

The COVID-19 age can be stressful for all sorts of reasons. It's often easy to notice that you're more stressed than you might have been in the past. For example, one of you might overreact in anger or sadness about things that might have been easy to shrug off a year or two ago. Stress can put a considerable strain on any relationship, and you may even find that you and your partner are in conflict about the topic of stress itself. For example, if you're not overly stressed, but your partner is, you might tell them to lighten up, and they might tell you to take the situation more seriously.

You May Be Facing Financial Challenges

The pandemic has presented financial challenges for many families. It's possible that either you or your partner has experienced a reduction in income as a result of the pandemic, and financial stresses can frequently result in conflicts. You might find yourselves arguing over your budget, for example, or maybe you both just feel on edge because you don't have as much in the bank as you'd like to. Contact a relationship counselor to discuss how the pandemic may be affecting the dynamic between you and your significant other. The counselor will allow you to share your perspectives in a constructive manner, as well as offer solutions that you can implement to achieve better relationship harmony.