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How Christian Marriage Counselors Work

In some ways, the Christian marriage counseling process is very similar to the secular or non-religious counseling process. All marriage counselors want to help their clients establish better communication, resolve issues, and find more satisfaction in their marriages. The Christian marriage counselor does those things within the framework of a specifically Christian set of values, commitments, and authority.

A Christian marriage counselor often begins a counseling session with prayer. Sometimes this prayer includes an invocation asking for God's Spirit to be present in the session and in the hearts of those present. Sometimes the prayer is simply a few moments spent in silence, allowing all three participants to open their minds and hearts to the presence of God.

In counseling sessions, the Christian marriage counselor uses his or her training and education to point out patterns and connections to the couple, as all counselors do. However, he will also remind the couple of the values they hold as part of their faith commitment, such as love, forgiveness, unselfishness, and generosity. Depending on the couple's Christian tradition, the counselor may help them discern how to bring their marriage more into line with their interpretation of scripture or sacred tradition.

These counselors are highly trained and educated in the same methods of counseling as secular counselors are, and also have to go through similar licensing processes. However, they are able to speak to couples on the level of their spirituality and faith commitments, which are an important part of life for many families. This approach to marriage counseling has been extremely effective for many Christian couples, and has helped many marriages to heal and flourish.