Integrating Religion with Marriage Counseling
Belle and Harry were longstanding members of a Christian church in Mississippi. Both were devout community members who worked tirelessly for local charities and still found time to manage two businesses. When they began having trouble in their marriage, they had some trouble entering into marriage counseling. Both were feeling that somehow, they weren’t supposed to be in this position, considering their spirituality. When they met with their pastor several times, it was he who advised them to enter marriage counseling as soon as possible.
For their comfort, the pastor advised a Christian-based counselor, one who used teachings from the Bible as well as other spiritual tools, in addition to some other traditional techniques. This helped the couple feel like they were “speaking the same language” and aided in an overall comfortability.
When interviewing counselors, you can tailor your counseling choice according to you and your spouse or significant other’s specific needs. Don’t feel like you’re being nosy - the most important part is the sense of relaxation and comfort you need in order to proceed. Feel free to inform them as to your status; sexuality, religion, political leanings, etc. While it’s not essential in finding a perfect match, for you, these issues may matter to you. You want to feel compatible with your counselor - and they want to feel that way with you!
For Belle and Harry they needed the aid of their church in order to further their work in couple’s counseling. Both are still attending therapy and both feel that their counselor is a “perfect match.”
