How to Become a Spiritual Marriage Counselor
Some couples have issues that are complex or severe enough to warrant getting some outside assistance. Marriage and family therapists can help these couples sort out problems they have. Some couples who are religious prefer counseling from a spiritual marriage counselor -- that is, a counselor who uses aspects of a faith to guide therapy. These therapists must meet all the requirements of other counselors and show they are qualified to counsel according to their religion.
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Instructions
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Obtain your high school diploma or GED. Becoming a marriage counselor requires a higher education degree, and almost all postsecondary academic facilities require a high school diploma or GED as one of their application prerequisites.
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Research and apply to a college or university of your choice that has programs applicable to marriage and family counseling. Getting a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in marriage and family counseling is ideal, but you also can get a bachelor's degree in human services -- for example, social work -- psychology or sociology.
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Research and apply to master's degree programs. In most states, a master's is the minimum requirement for a marriage and family counselor or therapist. Expect to take classes like family development, divorce therapy and sexuality, but also load up on courses like religious studies. Most master's degree programs for marriage and family counselors and therapists require around 60 credit hours.
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Complete the supervised training mandated by your state's regulations. In most cases, the minimum number of clinical hours you must complete under supervision is 3,000, according to 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This likely will take at least two years to finish.
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Apply for your therapist or counselor license according to the regulations for your state.
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Decide which organization you want to use to get certified as a spiritual counselor. For Christians, examples include the American Association of Christian Therapists, International Association of Christian Counseling Professionals and the American Association of Christian Counselors. However, there are organizations that certify marriage and family therapists in virtually all religions.
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Pick the level of licensure or certification you can get from your selected spiritual marriage counselor and therapist organization. Many organizations vary your certification and licensure level based on the education you have completed, so if you only have your bachelor's when you apply, you may not be able to get as high a certification, although you can start your membership and upgrade your certification later as you finish your education. Complete any training required for your selected licensure or certification and pay any necessary fees.
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Network with other therapists and in your general community to establish a reputation and let clients know you are available. Becoming affiliated with a church is perhaps the best way to advertise.
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References
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