India is experiencing a rise in mental health awareness, especially after the COVID-19 lockdown. This rise in mental-health awareness has also led to an increased demand for mental health services, in both individuals and couples.
More and more couples are now open to seeking help for various issues in their relationships and marriages. However, many couples still need help finding the right professional. Many people even wonder if they should consult a clinical psychologist for their marital issues. In this article, we will explore whether clinical psychologists can help with marriage counselling
Understanding Marriage Counseling
Marriage counselling is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on helping married couples address and resolve conflicts within their relationship. The primary goal of marriage counseling is to improve communication, strengthen the relationship and help couples lay the foundations for a healthy, long-term relationship.
During marriage counseling sessions, the couple works with a trained therapist to identify underlying issues, that might be leading to the current conflict. The therapist might use a variety of tools to help the couples improve understanding, empathy and communication, leading to an overall improvement in the relationship.
Understanding The Role Of Clinical Psychologists
A clinical psychologist is a person who has advanced training in psychology As a part of their education clinical psychologists are trained in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of various psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, behavioural issues, etc. Clinical psychologists can help reduce psychologists and promote psychological well-being
In India, a person with a Master’s Degree in Psychology, along with an additional two years
- Phil Degree qualifies as a clinical psychologist. Each Clinical Psychologist requires a license from the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) as well. A person with only a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology cannot be considered a clinical psychologist,
Clinical psychologists are trained in a variety of skills and thus, they can help people in many ways such as
- They conduct thorough psychological assessments to understand a client’s unique experiences, symptoms, and mental health needs.
- Based on their assessment they can provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the client’s conditions
- They are also trained to develop personalized treatment plans that may include psychotherapy, counselling, behaviour modification techniques, and other interventions.
Based on their training, clinical psychologists work with various issues such as:
- Psychological disorders
- Personality disorders
- Behavioural Issues
- Addiction and substance use
- Relationship issues
- Personal and family issues
Clinical Psychologists And Marriage Counselling
As we discussed above, clinical psychologists are trained in various psychotherapeutic approaches, which allows them to work with a variety of issues, including relationship and marital issues. Thus, a clinical psychologist can provide marriage counselling.
However, it is essential to understand that marriage counselling is a specialized area of work as marital issues may pose an entirely new challenge even for a clinical psychologist. Thus, it’s advisable to look for a psychologist who has additional training in marriage counselling or a couples therapy model alongside their clinical psychology background. This combination ensures that they have the expertise and skills necessary to address the complexities of relationship dynamics effectively.
Should You Consult A Clinical Psychologist For Marriage Counselling?
The answer to whether you should consult a clinical psychologist for marriage counselling depends on a variety of factors such as the nature of issues, etc. Consulting a clinical psychologist would be beneficial in case one or both partners are suffering from an underlying mental health condition such as anxiety, depression substance use issues, etc. as these issues are likely to have a significant impact on the relationship dynamics
Conclusion:
In summary, a clinical psychologist can indeed provide marriage counselling as they are trained to work with a variety of issues. However, it is important to understand that marriage counselling is a specialized field requiring specific training. Thus, it is advisable to consult a clinical psychologist with additional training in couples therapy. A clinical psychologist can be helpful in situations where one or both partners are experiencing an underlying psychological disorder that has been impacting the relationship dynamics.
References:
- Clinical psychologist | nidirect. (2015, November 13). https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/clinical-psychologist
- How Clinical Psychologists Can Help Save Your Marriage. (2023, May 12). Kashmir Observer. https://kashmirobserver.net/2023/05/12/how-clinical-psychologists-can-help-save-your-marriage/
