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, [...]
Traditional counselors have people so wrapped up in learning communication skills in a face-to-face meeting that some folks have difficulty believing that online counseling can be of any help. The truth is, it can be just as valuable as face-to-face or phone counseling. Online counselors deliver their services either through e-mail or chat. Either way, [...]
Is it possible to get counseling that helps in one session? Jacqueline Summers says yes. Ms. Summers is a qualified couples counselor and she has been doing one session counseling for couples for some time. It works and her thriving practice is evidence of that. Operating out of Philadelphia, Pa., she also has satellite counselors [...]
A House bill seeks to put school counselors in front of troubled students at troubled schools. This isn’t a bad idea. When 50% of all marriages end in divorce and 30% of high school students never graduate with a degree, you figure there must be some correlation. It’s obviously not a direct one-to-one correlation, but [...]
Scenario 1: The Arnolds have been married for five years. They are in their early thirties. They don’t seem to have any marital problem at the surface, but since the time both husband and wife have got more responsibilities at work, their personal communication seems to be suffering. Scenario 2: The Vincents have been married [...]
So, if you cannot make time for or cannot afford regular marriage counseling, you can go for a single-session counseling? Does that even make sense? Is the counselor God to solve your marriage problems in a couple of hours? No. He/she is not God. And he/she won’t solve your problems for you. However, the counselor [...]
A term that’s revolutionizing the world of marriage counseling these days is marriage fitness. An alternative to conventional counseling, marriage fitness approaches marital conflicts from a different perspective. So, what is marriage fitness? And, is your marriage “fit”? Let’s find out. Marriage fitness is a term coined by Mort Fertel. Fertel is the author and [...]
Would you believe me if I told you that marriage counseling is potentially for every couple? Of course, you wouldn’t believe me. But let me back it up with a reason. You cannot deny that every relationship has some scope of improvement. And it is this improvement that couples counseling helps you with. So, irrespective [...]
The world says, “Nothing comes free!” And if somebody offers you free advice, it is either considered unsolicited or non-useful advice. Marriage advice comes free only from friends and family, and it is something we do not give much importance to. Never do you see a relationship expert giving advice for free. Oh wait, there [...]
There is a general perception that the ones whose relationship is on the rocks go for counseling. This feeling has made its corollary a popular perception: counseling is for those whose relationships are on the verge of a breakdown. Does the thought of counseling, thus, make you feel like a failure? I know many couples [...]
There is so much hullabaloo over premarital counseling these days. Is is that important? Isn’t counseling for resolving conflicts? Why should a couple seek counseling before marriage, when there is no apparent problem? After all, the time before the wedding is so much like a fairy tale. Now, if you ask someone who is about [...]
What is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear about infidelity counseling? Most probably, you may think about the age-old question: can a marriage survive infidelity? The answer to this question is ‘yes’, but it doesn’t mean all marriages will survive it. Infidelity is painful for the spouse who has been [...]
You have been told counseling helps when you cannot improve your relationship on your own. But how does counseling help? What can you learn through counseling? Can a third person really solve your relationship conflicts? The answer to these questions is that counseling can work for you if you are willing to make it work. [...]
How much time do you spend on the Internet on a daily basis? If you are a tech-savvy, new-age man/woman, you may find the virtual world just an extension of your real. Most of us are hard pressed for time these days, so much so that we don’t want to invest some time improving our [...]
