Marriage Counselor

Marriages are the most common form of broken contract. While lovebirds may choose to get married while their infatuation is still present, marriage is, in fact, a binding contract. It offers both spouses benefits that would be impossible without the union of marriage, something that homosexuals are unable to take advantage of. Why is it, then, that so many marriages end up broken? Why is it that over half of the marriages taking place in the United States end up in divorce?

The easiest reason to point at would be that both the husband and the wife are humans, and as humans, we all make mistakes. It is how a couple reacts to these mistakes, and where the blame falls, that determines the compatibility of a married couple. In cases where marriage seems to be on the rocks, couples may choose to turn to a marriage counselor. While one spouse may choose to visit a marriage counselor, the other spouse may deny that they need one. It is then up to one spouse to get the other to commit to fixing the relationship, and turning to a counselor for help.

Marriage counselors are responsible for mending broken relationships between spouses. Also known as couples therapy, marriage counselers are considered a type of psychotherapists. Choosing to go to a marriage counselor is a decision that must be made between both the husband and the wife, as both are required to be present. A marriage counselor can help to solve the conflicts that may be causing problems in the marriage. A marriage counselor is generally required to have both graduate and postgraduate degrees; many marriage counselors choose to become accredited by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Generally speaking, a marriage counselor is reponsible for:

- Being able to recognize conflicts between spouses, whether it be family, work, financial, or love related

- Helping the couple resolve said conflicts and grow together in a relationship, even if they visit the marriage counselor short term

- Teaching conflict resolution skills to the couple so that they can deal with problems away from the marriage counselor office

- Working with individual spouses for personal issues such as anger management or other issues that may affect the family or marriage

- Working with entire families, offering counseling to each member of the family and bringing the family together.

Marriage counselors can show couples and families a different viewpoint on a tough situation. For example, a family may choose to visit a marriage counselor for a possible divorce. The marriage counselor would work with both the children and the couple, often separately. With the professional help of a counselor well-versed in tough family situations, a family in distress just might be saved. Through conflict resolution skills and recognition of problems, a marriage counselor can make the difference between angry miscommunication and healthy family living.