Marriage counselors provide therapy for couples experiencing emotional difficulties, and may work with legally married heterosexual couples, cohabiting couples, or those in the LGBTQ+ community. They may work in group therapy sessions or in clients’ homes, and typically focus on communication skills and identifying specific areas of need. A master’s degree and supervised clinical experience are required, and empathy and discretion are important qualities.
A marriage counselor counsels couples experiencing emotional difficulties in their relationships. She may give advice only to legally married heterosexual couples or accept clients who are just cohabiting or fall into the gay, lesbian, transgender or transgender categories. Her work may be affiliated with a group of therapists, or she may have a private, independent practice.
A considerable number of counselors help people through social service agencies and mental health centers or advise clients in hospitals and clinics. A fairly recent trend is for a marriage counselor to do therapy in her clients’ homes. This approach is believed to be beneficial as couples can be more sincere when talking in the familiar setting of a home setting.
People who seek help from a marriage counselor often hit an impasse in their interpersonal communications. The counselor typically assesses the relationship with the couple, identifying their specific areas of need, talking to them individually and together. Once the problem has been isolated to the couple’s satisfaction, the counseling program is usually started.
In some cases, the counselor gives advice to couples in group therapy sessions. This configuration is often considered a good option for couples who can benefit from realizing the universality of some of their difficulties. Sometimes group therapy results in couples seeking more private therapy sessions with the counselor.
Marital problems can stem from a wide range of issues. Typically, a marriage counselor is expected to be proficient in dealing with these difficulties and offering a variety of applicable solutions. Typically, she is required to remain objective in her recommendations for each party.
Therapy provided by a marriage counselor often focuses on her clients’ ideas about each other’s behavior. One of the first areas typically studied by a counselor is the couple’s communication skills. If she finds that the couple is just talking without really listening or communicating their true feelings, she typically advises them on ways to improve those skills.
Another counseling method commonly used by a marriage counselor includes starting conversations about general topics and common areas of dispute with the couple. This often encourages them to discreetly divulge their innermost feelings. The exercise often brings up deeply held needs, fears and secrets, issues that are often unexplored by the couple.
Typically, a master’s degree in counseling is required to be a marriage counselor. Two years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical field experience is also a common requirement to be hired for this job. Many regions also require a license or certification to serve as this type of advisor. In general, empathy and discretion are expected from those with the position of marriage counselor.
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