Christian guide to marriage counseling
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Even couples who start their marriages with the best of intentions can run into trouble when the stresses of life set in. Most commonly, married couples engage in conflict over money, children and sex- however, countless other issues can get a foothold in the sanctity of a union. Couples who opt for counseling may choose Christian-based or standard counseling.
Who Should Consult A Christian Counselor?
Christian and non-Christian marriage counselors want to help couples define their problems and open the lines of communication to solve them. Christian counseling provides the added resource of faith to motivate and teach.
Many couples make vows to each other and before God when they get married. For this reason, it is a natural progression to consult God when those vows threaten to come apart. A couple can undergo Christian marriage counseling if husband and wife are not of the same faith. Christian marriage counseling is even possible if one or both of you are not Christian- however, faith makes it easier to understand and abide by the teachings of Christianity regarding marriage.
Choosing a Counselor
Many licensed public counselors offer Christian counseling. These counselors have the same training and education as a secular counselor, but offer their advice from a biblical perspective.
Another option is to select a pastor or priest. These church leaders often take psychology and counseling classes and have much counseling experience, including working with couples. Ask your pastor or priest if he is available for marriage counseling- a large church with several pastors may have one or two whose ministry is counseling. It's OK to ask about background and experience, as you would with a licensed counselor.
Impact of Christianity on Counseling
Christian counseling sessions rely on different techniques to help couples solve their problems. Christianity provides a baseline for moral and immoral behavior, and all advice from a Christian counselor stems from this baseline. Couples unused to a biblical philosophy may be uncomfortable with this kind of behavior assessment.
A Christian counselor may ask the husband and the wife to humble themselves before the Lord and look at ways that becoming a better Christian can help problems within their marriage. The husband and wife will be called to forgive as Jesus taught forgiveness. A Christian counselor will use a biblical world view to guide couples on every area of the marriage, including finances, careers, and having and raising children.
Tags: marriage counseling, Christian counseling, Christian counselor, husband wife, advice fromSource: www.ehow.com
