How To Choose A Family And Marriage Counselor MD

By Timothy Adams


A couple might make the decision to hire a marriage counselor for various reasons. The counseling is done by a family and marriage counselor. The professional that you choose has a great effect on the way the outcome of the counseling. It will make the sessions a success or not. It is critical that you choose someone that shares in your values and objectives. In choosing a family and marriage counselor MD residents can follow some useful tips.

You need to go for a professional with the right qualifications. Not all counselors have professional training. You should not hesitate to ask all potential counselors about their qualifications. This makes it easy to prove when there are the right documents or through online reference. Other than professional training, their professional experience will also be a key consideration.

Depending on how serious the issues at hand are, you will need a counselor with many years of experience rather than one who has not been in the field for a shorter period of time. One way through which you can ascertain this is via online reviews posted by their previous clients. It is important that a counselor is neutral and unbiased. In some cases, a partner may choose a professional known to them with the hope that they will be on their side.

Professionals are not expected to take sides. They are required to remain neutral during the counseling irrespective of whether they know either of the partners. Most importantly however, a couple needs to agree on someone that is agreeable to both of them and with whom they will be comfortable. Any previous acquaintances need to be disclosed and discussed before a decision is made. This way, everyone will be comfortable with the process.

The preferred counselor needs to have similar beliefs as you. A counselor must not force into couples their beliefs as they try to sort out issues. Couples are more comfortable when they realize the professional shares in their belief system. This will mostly apply to Christians or couples who have specific religious preferences. For example, should a couple be of the belief that divorce is not acceptable to God, their preferred counselor should share in the same belief.

The sessions ought to be more about finding a solution and not enriching the counselor. In most cases, the number of sessions needed will depend on the gravity of the issues. Further, it will depend on the dedication and willingness of parties to find a solution. The amount a counselor is paid needs to be agreed upon in time. The charges are varied depending on the counselor that you choose.

It will be important that the couple and therapist set goals before the sessions start. If you do not have specific goals, the sessions that are set would end up without positive results. As long as there are specific targets, things will work better because these will be the guidelines to be followed.

Couples will need to trust their instincts. If a therapist is helping you, it is easy to know. If they are not, you are able to know that too. You should not stick around even when there is no progress.




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