Maintaining Intimacy in Long-Term Marriages During Graduate School

This qualitative study explored the process of maintaining intimacy among graduate counseling students in long-term marriages. Recognizing that stressors of graduate school can challenge marital relationships, the study used grounded theory methodology to analyze the experiences of nine participants enrolled in Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited counseling programs. The emergent themes include choice and intention, connection and communication, acceptance of growth and change, identifying and supporting needs, and sharing dreams and interests. These themes collectively form the maintaining marital intimacy theory, which emphasizes that intimacy in marriage evolves and requires intentional effort, especially with graduate study academic and personal demands. Findings highlight the complex and dynamic nature of intimacy, providing insights for counselors, supervisors, and counselor educators on fostering supportive environments for students. Implications suggest the importance of addressing unique relationship challenges married graduate students face to promote their overall well-being and academic success.