Can Couples Therapy Save Your Marriage?
Posted on | September 20, 2009 | No Comments
Couples therapists, technically known as Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are relationship specialists that are trained in both psychotherapy and family systems. They must have at least two years of experience in addition to the appropriate degree and proper licensing.
These couples counselors are licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems.
What Are The Qualifications For A Couples Therapist?
Couples counseling is a recognized mental health field with graduate and post graduate programs.
Degree. A couples therapist will have one of three degrees: a master’s degree (2-3 years), a doctorate (3-5 years), or post-graduate clinical training programs (3-4 years).
Clinical Experience. After graduation, two years of supervised clinical experience is required before the therapist can be licensed or otherwise certified. The prospective therapist must then take a state licensure examination or a standardized national exam.
Choosing A Marriage Counselor
Thanks to technology and the internet, we no longer rely on the phone book as our primary source to locate a therapist specializing in couples therapy.
If you do an internet search, you will find therapists in your area and many of these have their own websites. Also, ask close friends and family for a recommendation. Clergy and medical professionals are also good sources of referrals.
Once you search has been narrowed, it is time to begin making phone calls. The therapist will likely have a brief phone consultation with you and answer questions you might have.
The phone consultation is a great way to determine if you and the prospective marriage counselor might work well together.
How Does Couples Therapy Work?
Couples therapists work toward a resolution of the long-term mental health of individuals and their families in the context of the family relationship.
Sick families create sick family members.
The goal of a couples counselor is to address dysfunction within the marriage and restore a mutually satisfying relationship.
Family therapy generally consists of a course of short term therapy. The treatment lasts about 90-120 days with about 12 weekly sessions. The treatment includes individual sessions with each spouse or member of the family unit as well as marital and family group therapy.
The therapist may use cognitive behavioral therapy or other forms of cognitive therapy to treat the couple and other family members if necessary.
The attractive quality of couple’s counseling lies in its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness.
Cost of Couple’s Counseling
Family and marriage counseling costs can vary widely from state to state and region to region..
Rates range from $75 to $200 per hour. However, many therapist have sliding scales based upon income. Many couples therapists accept insurance and others do not.
The average cost for marriage and family counseling is about $100 per session.
Online Therapy: Is It A Viable Option?
Officially, the mental health community is still undecided with respect to online therapy.
The inability to meet with patients face to face raises important treatment and ethical concerns. Online counseling is still in its infancy, so regulations for treatment are still not established. Even those regulations that do exist, vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
However, at least one mental health organization has published ethical guidelines for online marriage therapy and e-counseling services.
Does Marriage Counseling Work?
Surveys indicate that most clients of couples counselors rated their experience as good or excellent. More importantly, a majority of clients reported an improvement in the relationship.
Couples therapy is an established, well-regulated, treatment option for couples in need of therapy. A couples therapist engages the couple by following a recognized course of treatment in a clinical environment.
Rest assured, couple therapy is an effective means to heal the problem relationship.
Related posts:
- Can Couples Counseling Save Your Marriage?
- Marriage Counseling Questions Before the Wedding Date
- Anxiety treatment: What To Expect From Anxiety Therapy
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