In marriage counseling infidelity is considered as the violation of a mutually agreed-upon rule in the relationship. Although marriage counseling can help a couple in dealing with infidelity, still, preventing infidelity is always preferred as apposed to marriage counseling.
Despite a common belief, couples can reduce the chances of infidelity from occurring in the first place. However couples will need to exercise a sense of realism in their attempt of prevention. There are certain steps that must be considered to reduce the chances of adultery.
Preventing infidelity and marriage counseling
Research has shown that there are a number of ways to assist in reducing the chances of infidelity from happening. The first step to consider is the couple's associations and social circles. Friends or associates who behave immorally can have an adverse effect on the couple's interaction. It is therefore important to ensure that the social circle is composed of like-minded people who value monogamy in a relationship. This is because good friends often act as moral anchors for preventing infidelity or other immoral behaviors. A person committing adultery is also far more likely to initially confess the act to a close trusted friend than to a spouse. It is therefore vital that the friends provide moral guidance when faced with the temptation of adultery. Also, through association with couples who value monogamy, the temptation of a single person's life-style is also greatly reduced.
The next step to preventing adultery is to be wary of any social hobbies that involve close physical contact with other people. One such example is the social dances that involve close physical contact. Research has shown that it is far too easy to loose one's inhibitions when dancing, but when this loss of control is combined with close bodily contact with other people then the temptation could result in adultery. This does not mean that you should avoid these dances altogether, but just be aware that they can lead to the couple straying. Another danger zone is the work environment. Again, this does not mean to imply that work must be avoided, as that will be impractical and a rather silly thing to do, but rather that the couple should acknowledge that the work environment is a possible environment where affairs often take place. By recognising its dangers the couple are therefore less likely to submit to any temptation. This especially applies to situations such a business trips or business meals.
The third step to preventing adultery is honesty, and as such it is important to acknowledge any temptation that may arise. Openly recognizing these temptations is important to prevention, as research has shown that people who are open and honest with their feelings are far less likely to give into temptation. The sooner the admission is made the easier it becomes to fight any luring desires. These temptations must always be discussed with the existing partner should they arise. Research has shown that the Thrill Of The Chase is one of the biggest attractions to committing adultery. Therefore by openly acknowledging the feelings of attraction, the thrill of the chase is also managed and sometimes even removed altogether, making it far less likely to act on the temptation. But careful consideration must be given in doing this, as failure to do so can have the adverse effect. Remember, diplomacy must always be exercised in raising the topic of conversation.
Feelings of neglect are one of the most common reasons as to why adultery becomes so appealing. This combined with the boredom of a routine lifestyle can often result in extra marital affairs. The attraction for the Thrill Of The Chase is often a way to merely inject some excitement into an otherwise a monotonous lifestyle. It is therefore important to recognise that boredom in a relationship can lead to adultery, and as such necessary steps must be taken to address this. The final step to preventing adultery is to resist any flirtatious behavior or communication, which extends to any form of electronic communication, body language and verbal communication. Flirting may seem like a bit of a harmless fun, but statistics has shown that flirting does eventually lead to infidelity. Flirting can be a way to feel secure about one's self, however, there will come a point when the feeling of insecurity is so great that a person may be tempted to follow through with the flirting and commit adultery.
It is also important to be wary of any form of contact or communication with an ex-partner. If this cannot be avoided, then the current partner must also be present when any form of communication is made.
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