The goal of relationship counselling varies depending on the couple, but whilst in a lot of cases the aim is to preserve a partnership and create a solid foundation to rebuild, ultimately the highest priority is the health and happiness of everyone involved.
This can, unfortunately, lead to the awful epiphany that a union that felt like it was destined to last forever until death do you part. It may have even been celebrated in those exact words in a ceremony.
Many relationships have choppy waters. People are not going to agree on everything and this is healthy. Sometimes a big argument or a problem can seem insurmountable only to make your bond stronger than ever, but it can also be a sign of growing negative thoughts surrounding the relationship.
In other cases, there is a sinking feeling that the happy ending to your relationship involves you not being together. It happens a lot, and often there is nobody at fault when it does.
The most important sign to watch out for is just an intuitive feeling that it is over which is different from a typical relationship anxiety.
The difference between the two is clarity; anxious thoughts about a relationship are overly analytical, ruminating on small details, whilst a strong gut feeling is clear, consistent and speaks to a truth that is ultimately impossible to deny.
Another aspect that is often easy to miss is hope in hypotheticals. There are problems in the relationship now, but they will get better when something happens that makes it so.
Often it involves moving in together, getting married or having a child. Both of these are wonderful milestones when they are the right step for a couple, but they also reveal diverging priorities in those who do not.
Ultimately, what matters in a relationship is how happy you are in the current circumstances. Banking on big steps forward is not only not a healthy approach, but could potentially be a sign that there are critical problems that need fixing right now.