The word divorce conjures up a sense of finality. A marriage that is legally over. Yet, you would be surprised to learn how many couples actually regret being divorced. Many of those couple still have strong feelings for each other too (in a positive way), yet feel they can’t live together. Although a divorce is [...]
Married couples argue. When they don’t, there is something wrong. I don’t mean loud plate throwing (or worse) types of arguments, although they may get heated. I am talking about those every day arguments. Where arguments go wrong is in situations where one or both partners take the argument personally, or start making personal attacks. [...]
Who suffers most when a marriage fails? Often it’s the children. However, children suffer from a wide range of problems that we as adults, particularly parents, don’t always relate to. Simply moving to a new home in a new town can cause all sorts of problems. If they have close friends, they may even suffer [...]
Most counselors steer well clear of issues such as diet except in situations where poor diet and alcohol or drug issues are part of the problem. When it comes to marriage or relationship counseling, some counselors are now considering dietary issues as part of an overall lifestyle change. There are a small number of counselors [...]
Christmas Day is one of those days that can deeply affect some people, and it’s not just singles either. Anyone who has lost a loved one, especially a close loved one, always feels that loss most on Christmas Day and on that loved one’s birthday. It can be particularly hard when that loved one is [...]
This may sound like a silly question – but why do you think counseling is so effective? Is it because of the training counselors receive? It certainly gives counselors the skills to be effective. But then, there are a lot of people around who have proven to be fairly effective as counselors, yet they have [...]
There is a misconception that marriage counseling is only for people whose marriage is in trouble. I guess they are the same people who only visit a doctor when they are sick and a dentist when they have a toothache. Yet the reality is that regular checkups from both a doctor and dentist helps to [...]
One of the more common problems that couples bring to a counselor is that which revolves around rejection. Counselors often hear the term “I feel like he/she is rejecting me”. Are they really rejecting you? That’s one of the first issues that counselors need to sort through. Often, the problem can be broken down into [...]
Are relationship issues affecting your work? Are relationship issues affecting your social life? If you have a relationship issue then there is a good chance it will be affecting you outside the home. People find it difficult to ‘switch off’ when they leave home each morning so any problems that affect them can be carried [...]
Are same sex couples any different to normal couples when it comes to relationship issues? It depends on what you mean by different. When it comes to your day to day issues, same sex couples have very similar problems to those of heterosexual couples. There is simple reason for this – our outlook on life [...]
This is a highly controversial question, especially if there are children involved. The question – are all marriages worth saving? The answer – you’ll have to wait. Let’s discuss some of the issues first. There are two trains of thought. One suggests that sometimes you can make a bad marriage worse. The second suggests that [...]
There are many different forms of counseling. The traditional form involves one-on-one counseling with a qualified counselor in their professional rooms. However, you can also have group counseling sessions involving friends and families, or with total strangers. Counseling can also be undertaken over the Internet and by phone. The one question that everyone asks is [...]
It is normal for humans to feel anxious at certain times. If we feel under threat for any reason, our bodies set off a self-defense mechanism that prepares it for action. It is often labeled the ‘fight or flight reflex’, and quite rightly too since that is what our bodies are preparing for – to [...]
Marriage is one of the most complex partnerships on earth. Forget your corporate or business partnerships, they have legal processes that make everything easy. In a marriage, there are no rule books and there are few laws that control how a couple interact within the relationship. Often, one half of the marriage can be miserable [...]
Couples attend counseling for a lot of different reasons. In fact, a marriage doesn’t have to be on the brink of failure for them to seek counseling. Smart couples identify problems and deal with them immediately instead of letting them fester. What is often forgotten is a follow-up session with their counselor. Follow-up sessions are [...]
Grandparents get divorced too, you know? And in ever increasing numbers. Grandparents are also remarrying, again, in ever increasing numbers. What grandparents aren’t doing is accessing counseling – in ever increasing numbers. There seems to be a philosophy that counseling is for younger people and not for the elderly. I have news for those who [...]
Are you a graduate of a marriage and family therapy program or a program in counseling and interested in setting up a private practice? Do you know the steps to take to get your private practice operational and to market it? If not then you can learn all about how to set up a private [...]
It’s something you used to never hear about. But these days you are just as likely to hear someone talk about phone counseling as you are traditional face-to-face counseling. And it’s just effective. A professional counselor with a license to practice has a reputation and no one wants to sacrifice that. Therefore, a strict code [...]
Panic attacks, or anxiety attacks, can be heart-wrenching experiences – literally. There is a misunderstanding about this physical disorder. Many people think it has to do with fear, but it really doesn’t. The “fear” associated with a panic attack is the reaction the individual experiences to the panic attack itself. The body starts to go [...]
The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has several programs that it supports for students and professional therapists. One of those programs is the Minority Fellowship Program. The AAMFT Minority Fellowship Program is a support program for graduate students that encourages academic excellence and professionalism for counseling students wanting to make a career [...]
Addictions are some of life’s worst nightmares. They can turn a love sour in ways so powerful you don’t know what you hit you. You know you love your spouse, but you also know the addiction hurts. What do you do? Let’s deal with several issues here. There’s the addiction then there’s the issue of [...]
Are you a recent graduate of a counseling program or higher education marriage and family therapy degree program? Are you ready to start your private practice? Get MFT private practice advice from the American Counseling Association. The advice comes from veteran mental health professionals Robert J. Walsh, NCC, LCPC and Norman C. Dasenbrook, LCPC. Between [...]
N0 matter how strong we think we are, we all need the advice of a counselor at some stage in our adult lives. We’re not superhuman and events will catch us out at some point in our lives. For some, every day is a struggle, for others, they have good time and then very bad [...]
Grief – it’s one of those terms that is normally associated with death. You will hear someone say that their partner is grieving over the loss of their parent for example. However, grief is associated with loss, not necessarily death. People, especially those that have had successful careers, will go through a grieving process when [...]
One thing all counselors have in common is that we each got an education. The education may be different, but it involved being a student. A grief counselor, for instance, had to get some type of training to become a grief counselor, though it was likely somewhat different than the counseling a marriage counselor went [...]
One of the most important things to do before you and your betrothed tie the knot is to get pre-marital counseling. Personalized one-on-one pre-marital counseling allows you and your partner to get to know each other on a more intimate level before you get too wrapped around each other’s finger. Your marriage is like a [...]
According to Lisa Kift, MFT, there are 8 things you should consider – criteria, if you will – before you choose a marriage counselor. The 8 things to consider are: Therapist credentials or degrees – How was the therapist or counselor trained? Does he or she have qualifications from a reputable institution? Fees – Is [...]
Anxiety can kill a lot of joy – if you let it. But the bright side (if there is a bright side) is that you can control your anxiety. Controlling anxiety starts with recognizing it. When your heart starts to beating fast and your palms start sweating, do you recognize the symptoms? You know, the [...]
One of the things that the American Counseling Association does for practicing counselors is lobby for legislation that helps the profession be a better help to the people who need counseling and therapy. This past March the ACA approved the public policy and legislative agenda for the second session of the 111th Congress. Among the [...]
If you are a licensed counselor and want to stay abreast of counseling industry changes and new innovations, what do you do? Where do you go for the latest information? What journals and publications do you read? It is important that you select your reading material carefully. Not everything you read about counseling is suspect, [...]
