Seeking solutions to marital problems through marriage counseling is an efficient way to cope with relationship issues, yet a way that many couples reject even today. If you and your partner have already acknowledged the existence of marital issues that both of you consider too overwhelming to cope with and you are willing to give a Christian counselor Denver professional a try, here are some factors to consider while you are searching for the right counselor.
Training and Experience
Marital counselors always mean well, but not all of them have the experience and the knowledge to handle the challenges of couple therapy. Marriage counseling is very different from individual therapy sessions and helping two people work their way together through the problems typical of marriages requires a very different set of professional skills, so make sure that the therapist you turn to is trained and experienced in addressing marital issues with both members of the couple present. To find suitably trained and qualified experts in your area, you can search various online registries and referral directories – most of them have search features that you can use to filter the results and to get lists with the experts close to you that you can turn to.
Membership in Professional Organizations
Modern marriage counseling is more than a succession of sessions during which you tell your partner about your problems – it is a science-based process that is continuously researched and improved. Look for a Christian counselor who is an acknowledged member in one or several professional associations and has contributed scientific work in the field because that way you can be sure your therapist is not only devoted to help you, but is able to help you, too.
The Personality of the Therapist
The relationship between the counselor and the couple counseled needs to be one based on trust. No matter how experienced and knowledgeable a therapist is, the counseling will not be successful if you and your partner don’t feel comfortable and safe during the sessions, so choose a therapist that you both like and to whom you can open up.
Get Referrals from Friends
You might first feel embarrassed to tell your friends that you are facing marital problems and you are seeking professional help, but you will be surprised how many of the people you think you know have been through the same issues as you. Ask your friends whether they know a good therapist – you will probably get more than one recommendation and they can also provide information related to how the therapy went and whether they considered it helpful.
Questions to the Counselor
Before you start the therapy, try to find out as much as you can about the Christian therapist’s approach. Ask the therapist about their training, their professional experience, about what to expect during the therapy, about the expected duration of the therapy as well as about their life experience with marital issues (you might be more comfortable working with a therapist who is or has been married and has children than with one who has never been in a marriage or is childless) – the therapist might not answer questions that are too personal, but most counselors still accept to answer questions related to their marital status.