Connecting with your Couples Counselor
When you or your partner are new to counseling, its often new terrain: who do you choose? What qualities are you looking for in a marriage counselor? Would you know a skilled, competent marriage counselor versus one that isn’t as highly trained? What kind of training are you looking for in the first place? Who do you feel comfortable with when you talk about your marriage?
Looking for a therapist is never an easy prospect. One of the reasons its easy to get overwhelmed? You’re already in an emotionally or psychologically compromised position. To take the time and research that is needed to find the right couples counselor consumes energy you don’t really feel that you have.
One suggestion is that you interview counselors first. This could be a short, informal in-person meeting or a conversation on the phone. You may need to do this with several therapists before committing to one.
But you needn’t be too overwhelmed. If you aren’t well-versed in the schools of psychology, you can focus on the simple chemistry of “gut instinct” you feel when meeting someone. It doesn’t take much, even via phone, to see if there is some natural affinity of connection between you, your partner and your therapist.
After a first session, it is imperative to converse with your spouse or partner and decide whether this counselor is for you. Perhaps you will have two different takes on this person. That’s alright. Simply examine the “pros and cons” with this particular therapist – decide whether you or your partner can overlook some of the differences for a bigger cause.
If one of you is adamantly against one particular counselor, its time to look again. The chemistry must be there for all parties involved for real work to be completed.
Related Posts
- Changing Your Couples Counselor
- Choosing the Right Couples Counselor for You
- Which Couples Counselor is Right for You?
- Couples Counselor Communicates
- How to Choose a Couples’ Counselor
