If you’re interested in human health, you may consider taking up a career as a marriage counselor.
You are on the right track because this career would help so many households.
In this piece, I explained who marriage counselors are and the processes you can take on how to become a marriage counselor
Our families and partners are people who are very dear to our hearts.
Yet our relationships with them might not always be rosy. When misunderstanding occurs in the family, it can lead to pain and anger.
Hence the need for a licensed marriage counselor, who would assist in solving the issue and create a way forward.
Read Also How To Foster Employee Motivation
Article Road Map
Who Is A Marriage Counselor?
Marriage counselors are highly professional mental therapists who take care of the mental health of families.
Furthermore, They give their patients the tools they would need in improving their relationships, settling disagreements, and maintaining their mental health.
Marriage counselors often act as mediators whenever there’s an issue in a family.
In addition, they listen to patients who are interested in starting a family. Nonetheless, to help assist families and couples take the right path when it comes to marriage.
There are key things you should do first to enable you to achieve this aim.
Read Also Qualities Of A Successful Project Manager
Steps On How To Become A Marriage Counselor.
There are some procedures you can follow to become a marriage counselor, which would be listed in this article.
But before we do that, let’s find out who a marriage counselor is.
1. Earn A Relevant Bachelor’s Degree.
A marriage counseling degree in many universities is mostly a four-year degree course.
This degree can be called marriage and family therapy since the two courses are alike.
Other applicable bachelor’s courses that can assist you in your marriage counseling degree
Includes psychology and social work
However, any of the courses above can enable you to get accepted into a master’s degree program.
2. Earn A Master’s Degree In Marriage And Family Therapy.
Before you can properly start your career as a marriage counselor, you would need to get a master’s degree. Some master’s degree courses offer specialization, therefore making it easy for you to choose a course that best suits your desires.
So you should pick a specialization that you can concentrate on.
3. Meet With Your Graduate Counselor For Guidance.
If you have decided to continue your career in marriage counseling, you must consult your professors or counselor to assist you in your journey.
Consider talking with your advisor about your goals and ambition ask questions like;
- Should I learn an alternative therapy method?
- How important is a doctorate in my career path?
- Should I stay in school and earn a doctorate?
- Should I start practicing as soon as I am done with my bachelor’s degree?
Asking your adviser these questions is very essential in your journey because you need someone to guide you on this path.
You would find out the next thing you should do, immediately after you are done with your bachelor’s degree.
Read Also What Qualities Make A Good Barista?
4. Gain Clinical Experience In The Field.
To become a professional marriage counselor, you would need to get some form of clinical experience supervised by a medical practitioner to continue in your career path
You need to spend a total of 4000 hours in the clinic, which is equivalent to 2 years before you can get a license.
5. Consider Taking Courses In Nontraditional Methods.
Through workshops and seminars, you can get an experience in other therapy methods which can assist you in dealing with patients.
These methods may include:
- Hypnotherapy: This therapy method involves using images as a way of administering medication to your clients.
- Art therapy: This method uses art to resolve challenges of the mind, by letting the patient express his thoughts and feelings.
6. Earn licensure In Your State
After you have gotten a degree in marriage counseling, the next step you should take is going for your license. You must know that the methods of getting a license vary from state to state.
So the requirements and criteria for this state might not be the same as the next state.
However, you may need to get more requirements especially if you practice in more than one state.
In addition, whenever you are ready for your license contact your professor to write a letter of recommendation for your new employer.
Also, call your state board for licensed Professional Counselors.
7. Further Your Education To Retain Licensure.
As a marriage counselor, when you get a doctorate you would have more edge than a bachelor’s degree holder in your field.
This would broaden your field and create great opportunities for you.
Also, in some states, you would have to further your education to enable you to renew your license.
This varies from state to state, and the additional courses you’ll need to take may be different as well.
Studying an additional course would open up opportunities for you to specialize in a particular section and stand out as a professional from your other colleagues when you advance your career.
Aspiring marriage and family counselors can get a doctorate in any of the following disciplines below.
- Psychology
- Marriage and family therapy
- Medical family therapy
- Ministry family therapy, which focuses on religious counseling
Conclusion.
Relationships are filled with so many ups and downs.
Due to the great moments shared it’s important to repair broken relationships with your family.
Furthermore, By becoming a marriage counselor, you would be able to assist people to live in peace with their close loved ones.
Now that you are aware of how to become a marriage counselor, this is the right time to take the next step.
However, if you have any questions concerning this post, please leave your comment below.