Is Your Counsellor Well-Trained in Couples Work?
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
How do you know if your counsellor is well-trained in couples work? Many counsellors genuinely desire to help individuals and couples escape pain and disappointment in relationships so as to develop fulfilling, healthy and loving partnerships.
It’s important for you as a consumer to be informed and educated about how to find the best counselling and therapy for you when you’re looking for it.
Click this link to listen to me talking for three minutes about couples work.
Not all training involves relationship counselling
Many people don’t realise that not all counsellors, therapists, psychologists & social workers are specifically trained in relationship counselling. Many of them have had no training or experience in dealing with sexual issues.
Specific post graduate training in couples, marriage or relationship counselling is necessary and important to achieve effective outcomes with couples. General counselling training only covers at most one or two units related to working with couples. This is means many are not wel–trained in couples work.
I’m a specialized and expertly trained couples therapist working for your best interests. I’m also a fully accredited sex therapist with ASSERT. Relationship counselling is my specialty. Without specific training in couples work, and if your counsellor doesn’t practice evidence-based relationship tools in their own lives, these poorly-trained couples therapists can’t help your relationship to resolve old hurts or effectively heal sexual issues.
My training so far in couples work
I have undergraduate and post graduate training specifically in couples counselling, couples therapy and sex therapy using the following approaches:
- Level 1 Professional Training in Mind-Body Medicine – Integrating mind-body medicine into clinical practice, medical education & trauma healing. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Trainers – Dr. James Gordon MD, Amy Shinal MSW, Kathleen Farah MD, Linda Richtsmeier Cyr PhD .
- Internal Family Systems Level 1 Training – Centre for Self Leadership. Trainers – Dr. Dick Schwartz, Pamela Krause, Toni Herbine-Blank.
- Relational Life Institute Level 1 Training – Relational Life Institute. Trainer – Terry Real.
- Assessing and Treating Sex Issues in Psychotherapy – Institute for Relational Intimacy. Trainer – Martha Kauppi.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Levels 1 & 2 – devised by Dr. John Gottman & Dr. Julie Gottman
- Sex therapy & counselling – taught by Dr. Marty Klein, Dr. Tammy Nelson, Dr. Joe Kort, Dr. Barry McCarthy, Martha Kauppi & Dr. Esther Perel.
- Rekindling Desire – Dr. Esther Perel
- What Works in Couples Therapy and sex therapy – taught by Dr. Terry Real & Dr. Esther Perel
- Relational Life Institute – taught by Dr. Terry Real
- Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) – taught by by Dr. Stan Tatkin.
- Developmental Approach to Couples Therapy – taught by Dr. Ellyn Bader & Dr. Peter Pearson
- Emotionally Focused Therapy – established by Dr. Leslie Greenberg & Dr. Susan Johnson and further developed and taught by Dr. Michelle Webster.
In addition, I have many years of experience in working with relationship issues for individuals and couples and have worked with heterosexual as well as LGBTQI people for decades. I am well-trained in couples work and confident in being able to help you with many issues. It’s important for me to be continuously engaged in furthering my skills by attending workshops and trainings, as well as reading books, articles and research written and conducted by leaders in the field of relationship work. I continue to update my competence in working with sex and sexuality issues.
Ask the following questions
I encourage any individuals or couples that are seeking relationship counselling, coaching or therapy to interview the prospective counsellor (via telephone or email) before making a first appointment. Ask the counsellors that you interview what training and how long they trained to work specifically with couples and relationships. If they are appropriately qualified, their answers should reassure you.
Your relationship is important. It is your right to make sure that you only work with someone that is specifically trained in couples and relationships work, so that you have the best chance of getting the results you want.
It is unfortunate that some therapists and counsellors are working with couples without having specific training or skills in this area.
Get in touch
To ask about my training in couples work, feel free to call me on call me on (0421) 961 687 or contact me. You can also book a Zoom session with me if you can’t personally come to my practice.
If you’re not ready to book an appointment, call me on (0421) 961 687 to book a FREE 15 minute phone consultation to discuss how I may be able to assist you.
