Rasika Karkare 
Embarking on a career in counselling and therapy in India is both rewarding and challenging. While the demand for mental health professionals is growing, navigating the path—from acquiring the right qualifications to setting up a successful practice—can often feel overwhelming. In this article, we explore the journey of becoming a counsellor in India, the challenges faced by therapists, specialisations like marriage counselling, and practical tips to build a thriving private practice.
How to Become a Marriage Counsellor in India
Marriage counselling is one of the many areas that individuals can choose to work in the field of counselling psychology. Unfortunately, there are no government-recognized or mandated certifications or regulations to practise as a marriage counsellor in India. However, we must acknowledge that when clients come for therapy, they place a lot of trust in the therapist concerning their mental health, which makes a therapist ethically responsible for delivering good quality service to their clients. Only 'intention to help' isn't enough to be a good marriage counsellor!
While there are no government-mandated regulations to practise as a marriage counsellor in India, there are steps and qualifications one can take to become an ethical marriage therapist. They are as follows:
Pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
A Bachelor's degree in psychology is the first step towards becoming an ethical counsellor in India. This degree sets the base and orients individuals to the various subfields that exist within psychology. Getting an idea of the sub-fields will help you pick your interest area and specialisation for a Master's Degree. Having psychology as an optional subject in 12th can be an advantage while pursuing a Bachelor's.
Pursue a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology
Having a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology is a must to practise as a psychologist. This degree orients individuals to the various techniques and skills required by a counsellor. It also provides knowledge of different schools of thought or theories in psychology. In the Master's degree, there will be one paper on couples/family counselling. Master's Degree programs may also offer students with internship experience.
Pursue a Certification in Marriage Counseling or Couple's Therapy
A marriage or couples counsellor specialises in helping couples assess and deal with relationship issues. Although skills and training in a Master's Degree are useful, couples counselling may present new and unique challenges for a therapist. Hence it is advisable to get specialised training in Couples Therapy after the postgraduate degree. You can look for recognized institutes that provide training for couples therapy. Some good courses for couples/marriage therapy are:
- Postgraduate certificate program in Couple and Family Therapy by TISS
- Clinical Foundations in Gottman Method Couples Therapy by the Gottman Institute
It is important to note that the courses and steps mentioned above are just a few suggestions and a general path that one can follow to be a marriage counsellor and it certainly shouldn't be considered an end to one's learning. In fact, continuous growth and learning is one of the important qualities of a good couples therapist. You can continue to pursue training and certification in any theoretical orientations of your interest that might add to your skills in Couple Therapy. For Ex. Emotion Focused Therapy has been found to be an effective method in couples therapy.
Supervision is Key
Having considerable hours of supervised counselling sessions can go a long way in the making of an effective couples therapist. Supervision is an indispensable part of being an ethical therapist as it provides an opportunity for therapists to reflect on their work and also helps them to address any stuck points that they are facing. Being in regular supervision ensures that the therapist is able to sustain their practice effectively.
Although India does not have regulations for couples therapists currently, being a couples therapist involves a lot of responsibility towards the clients that a therapist works with. Practising as a couples therapist without appropriate training might end up doing more harm than good for both the therapist and their clients. Thus it is not only important for a couples therapist to seek proper training but also to be in regular supervision so that they are able to help clients in the best possible way.
The Other Side of Therapy – Challenges Faced by Counsellors
Counselling is a profession that plays a crucial role in supporting people facing emotional, mental, and psychological challenges. Thus, a counsellor is required to have a lot of empathy for their clients, which makes this job a very emotionally demanding one. While we often talk about the clients and their well-being, it's equally important to acknowledge and shed light on the challenges faced by counsellors themselves.
Low Pay
Counselors who work in organisations or NGOs are not paid a sufficient salary. Clients are reluctant to pay for sessions as they think that counselling involves only listening and talking. Many people don't think about investing in mental health as a priority.
Being Non-Judgemental
A counsellor can efficiently empathize with and be non-judgmental towards their clients. At times, depending on the nature of the concern, it may become difficult for them to simultaneously be empathetic or non-judgmental as well as objective since it is all about striking a conscious balance between the two.
However, counsellors still need to always try and do their best to provide objective feedback and make their clients feel heard and understood, which is one of the reasons why the job is considered to be emotionally draining.
Building Patience
A counsellor needs to build patience and tolerance while dealing with their clients. This shows clients that their therapists are ready to listen to them and be there for them, come what may.
Developing patience and tolerance gives rise to confidence for both clients and counsellors. This is a great skill for counsellors to master, as they are also humans and have added frustrations from their own lives that they need to forget about while dealing with their clients.
Engaging with Reluctant Clients
Very often, counsellors have to deal with difficult, reluctant or resistant clients. Not all clients are ready to open up about their problems, and they certainly have valid reasons to do so. However, it becomes difficult for counsellors to deal with such resistant clients, as counselling depends on honest communication. If there is no participation from the client's end, it's extremely difficult to build on the helpful conversation.
Therapists Need Therapy Too
It is a myth that therapists have no problems or that they have it 'all figured out'. However, the truth is that therapists also have their own struggles to work through. In fact, listening to the sometimes traumatic and intense experiences of clients, can take a toll on their emotional health as well.
Another common myth is that therapists don't need anyone to listen to them. However, due to the highly emotional nature of their job, therapists are likely to burn out. Thus, they need support just like their clients. That is why most therapists choose to go for therapy themselves.
Supervision
Supervision is a process whereby someone from the field with more experience oversees the work of someone with less knowledge and skills.
Counsellors also need to engage in and spend large amounts of money on the process of supervision as another way of improving professional counselling skills. It is a mandate for counsellors to enhance their abilities and skills. This becomes a challenge for counsellors, as they have to invest money and time in this process.
Continued Education
There is a need for continuing education for all counsellors, especially after graduating from a counselling program. The reason is that new ideas for the treatment and practice of clients are always evolving, and these must be mastered and incorporated if necessary.
Engaging in such continuous efforts sometimes becomes expensive in terms of time and money but the cost of not keeping up professionally is much higher. This then poses a great challenge for counsellors.
Expectations Of Free Sessions
Lastly, many people expect therapists to provide their services without charge since it's healthcare, and counselling is considered a 'noble profession'. However, it's important for us to understand that therapists are regular people who have a family and basic needs that they need to take care of, so they deserve to be compensated fairly for their knowledge, skills and services.
Counseling and therapy can be an emotionally challenging profession. From managing emotional detachment to facing societal misconceptions, counsellors encounter a lot of complex challenges. Apart from that, they often deal with other issues, such as financial constraints, educational challenges and unrealistic expectations of free sessions. Despite that, counsellors always try to help their clients in the best possible ways. Recognizing the challenges of counsellors is key to understanding their role in society and the importance of mental health in general.
3 Ways to Ensure Your Private Practice Flourishes
Psychologists in India, complete their Post Graduation with adequate knowledge to help people with their mental health issues. But, most are left clueless or don't feel confident as to how they can start their private practice & grow a client base.
I had a similar issue, and it took me 4 hard years of struggle & a lot of work to set up a successful private practice. It is now that I can sit in comfort and write this blog post, to help my peers who still do not have that luxury.
Here are a few ways you can be successful as a budding private practitioner –
Have a Plan
Most professionals just start a website, rent an office & build a brand hoping clients would start to magically come at their doorstep. Well, don't follow in their footsteps, it is absolutely necessary to have a plan for getting a stable & consistent client base before starting your business.
I understand that as a psychologist you may not have learnt marketing or management in your course. But, I can assure you from what I have learnt, we as psychologists develop an amazing sense. We are able to understand the psychology of our clients and reach out to them much better than marketing professionals.
As for what your plan should be to grow your clients, I have found the following ways to be effective –
- Grow & Network by joining different social organizations – This is a technique that has been proven time and again by professions from law to medicine, it also works great for psychologists. It just takes some time, patience & personal social involvement.
- Start with Digital Marketing – This is a really upcoming outreach technique in our field, and no it's not saturated. This can help you grow in a reasonable span of time. But, you must study & take guidance from psychologists who have already done it, because in our field even digital marketing works a little differently.
- Get Creative, Manual outreach & niche marketing – This is the best way and is going to get you guaranteed results in a very short span of time! Choose an audience you would like to cater to, kids, adults, corporates or couples. And, make a marketing plan custom tailored for them. Keep everything from your brand name to your identity to help you target them. If you need help in this, you can reach out to me at mindvoyageofficial@gmail.com, I am passionate about creative marketing & would love to help you out.
Build Trust
This is key for building a practice that grows & sustains. We are not selling a pair of shoes where we can attract the client by colors & a beautiful brand. You need to make sure that they can trust you with their mental health, every part of your brand should portray trust.
Of course you need to provide your clients care & responsible therapy that is most important. But, in a world like today, you need to slowly build an image to show people that they can trust you & have confidence in what your social proof conveys.
This is why 70% of therapists fail to succeed in setting up their private practise. They are unable to build trust. People would rather not take therapy than go to somebody they cannot be sure about.
Reach Out to a Mentor/Guide
There are a lot of other challenges you will be facing after starting your practice. From Legal concerns to Negative reviews & Ethical dilemmas, you will need to have someone who can help you.
Hopefully, this will help you go out there with confidence, and start your own private practice. In case you need further guidance, you can check out the "Career growth & management program" course we offer at Mind Voyage.
Final Thoughts
A career in counselling and therapy in India is filled with both opportunities and responsibilities. From earning the right qualifications and pursuing specialisations like marriage counselling, to navigating the emotional and financial challenges of the profession, and ultimately building a sustainable private practice—each step requires dedication, learning, and resilience. With proper training, supervision, ethical practice, and a thoughtful approach to growing your work, counsellors can not only build successful careers but also make a meaningful difference in the lives of their clients.
References
- BetterLyf. (2021, February 11). Challenges in counselling. https://www.betterlyf.com/articles/stress-and-anxiety/challenges-in-counselling/
- Career Igniter. (n.d.). How do counselors handle the emotional stress of their job? https://www.careerigniter.com/questions/how-do-counselors-handle-the-emotional-stress-of-their-job/
- Mindler. (2019, March 2). Want to help people in distress? Consider a career in counselling! Mindler Blog. https://www.mindler.com/blog/how-to-become-a-counsellor-in-india/
- Pereira, M., & Rekha, S. (2017). Problems, difficulties and challenges faced by counsellors. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4(3), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.25215/0403.127
- Stevens, T. (2019, August 15). Why therapists need therapy too. Talkspace. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/therapists-experience-in-therapy/