Locating a Marital Counseling Service
Finding the right marriage counselor is as important as finding the right house or the right car. Too many people don’t shop for a counselor, they accept the one they’re assigned to and then wonder what happened when they aren’t able to accomplish anything.
This isn’t like getting your storm gutters cleaned out where you can just pick someone out of the yellow pages and check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure they didn’t rip anyone off. This is your marriage and you need to find someone who will be compatible with your values and who will focus on your goals as a couple.
Seek referrals from people you trust. Ask your physician to recommend someone and if you belong to a church you might check and see if there are any options there. Realize though that although pastoral counseling can help with spiritual matters, you need a licensed therapist to help you work out your marriage issues. You can find Christian counselors with degrees if that is in line with your values.
What the yellow pages may do for you is let you know what forms of counseling the therapist does. If one of the spouses has a drinking problem for example, look for a marriage counselor who has experience in that field.
Don’t be afraid to look around if you’re not satisfied. After all, when you’re in the market for milk, if one store doesn’t have it, you are going to go to the next store to get it. You’re not going to just settle for juice for your coffee and cereal. That’s the way you have to handle marriage counseling. If the counselor is unable to work within your framework, look for someone who is.
