Find a marriage counselor that s right for you with these four tips

Are you looking for marital counselors? After searching online, asking your friends and family, and seeing what your church might have to offer, you may have an extensive list. (If you don t, look here[LINK]). Once you ve got that list, the next question is often: "How do I know which of these people is right for us?"

Here are some tips you can follow to whittle down that list:

Check the credentials. Be critical of the letters following the therapist s name. Just because the therapist is earned her PhD, that doesn t mean she wrote her thesis in the area of marital therapy. Verify that the person is truly qualified.

Ask to see published works. Therapists with advanced degrees often write articles and books on the subjects. When you discover someone think is just right for you, ask for her list of published works. You can determine plenty about style and personality just from reading their articles.

Ask for testimonials. You may find therapists who keep testimonials handy. If they have them, read them. However if she doesn t have testimonials, it may simply mean that she chose not to ask her patients for testimonials.

Ask if free consultations are available. Some thearpists are willing to meet with prospective patients for short periods, free of charge. Use this opportunity as an audition. Both you and your spouse need to like and trust the therapist in order for the counseling to work.