Christian Marriage Counseling

If you and your spouse are going through a difficult time, you may find that marriage therapy can be very beneficial.  And if you and your spouse have a strong Christian faith, you may prefer to seek out Christian marriage counseling.  Working with a counselor who approaches therapy from a theoretical perspective which aligns with your personal faith will prevent some of the clashes which may occur if you attempt to work with a secular therapist with a very different approach. 

In order to find someone who specializes in Christian marriage counseling, you may want to consult with your pastor or other people in your church. You may also look in your local yellow pages or do a search online.  If you search online, you can search for the terms “Christian marriage counseling”, “Christian marriage therapy” and that can help you get started.  If you add the name of your city or county you will narrow down your search to someone in your proximity.

Once you have come up with a few potential therapists, you may want to try to find out a little information about them.  For example, what are their credentials?  Are they licensed?  How long have they been practicing?  You also may want to give them a call and see if you can find out a little information over the phone before committing to an appointment. 

For example, you may want to ask them how much of their approach is based on Biblical principles.  This can vary greatly when it comes to Christian marriage counseling.  If you want someone who is going to use the Bible and prayer in the counseling session, you may want to inquire about that.  Of course, this will depend on your personal preference. 

If you can talk briefly by phone with two or three different therapists, you may get a better initial sense of whether or not this is someone with whom you want to set up an appointment.  If the phone conversation doesn’t feel quite right, trust your instincts and move on to the next one.

 In order for Christian marriage counseling to be truly beneficial to you and your spouse, it is particularly important that both of you feel comfortable with the counselor.  If you meet for a session and one of you doesn’t care for the counselor, you may find the process very challenging if you continue to see this person. 

Once you find someone who is a good fit for both of you, determine a schedule that will work for everyone.  Having a therapy session early in the morning before work or mid-day is often not a good idea.  Counseling can tap into some difficult emotions so it is best to choose a time of day when neither of you has other obligations immediately following the sessions.

As you begin the process of Christian marriage counseling, be sure that the counselor sets clear ground rules with regards to how the sessions will be handled, how long they will last, how emergencies will be handled, what to do if you need to cancel, and confidentiality issues. Also, be sure that you discuss your goals with the therapist so that everyone is on the same page with regards to what they want Christian marriage counseling to accomplish. 

After you have done all this, approach the process with an open mind and the willingness to be ready to make some changes.  Marriage therapy can be very beneficial, but you must be willing to do the work.  In time, you may find that your marriage is back on track and stronger than ever!