Christian Marriage Counseling And Other
Marriage Counseling Providers

Christian marriage counseling, Jewish marriage counseling, Muslim marriage counseling, and non-secular marriage counseling are all subsets of marriage and relationship counseling. It's not that the husbands and wives or intimate partners are going to be experiencing different issues depending on their faith (unless, of course, the couple is being challenged by a difference in their respective faith based beliefs) because, after all, regardless of their faith, the players are all human. Human, all too human.

Historically, mental health providers and Relationship Specialists (regardless of whether their style was faith based or secular) offered suffering couples the opportunity only for individual counseling. Marriage and relationship counseling as a unique and specific discipline has come about as a fairly recent phenomenon. Prior to the late 20th century, marriage and relationship counseling was an informal social role provided by family, church and temple leaders, or intimate friends. Few if any of these care givers received any kind of formal training in psychology or marriage and family therapy. Since prehistoric and into ancient times and even up to the present day, in more earth-focused societies marriage and relationship counseling, as it were, was and is offered by a tribal or village elder or even a shaman. Christian marriage counseling has some specific components.

Steven M Cohn, PhD, LMFT
The Portland Couples Counseling Center
1940 NE Broadway
Portland, Oregon  97232
503-282-8496

Christian Marriage Counseling

The single most important thing about working with a Christian marriage counselor is establishing open and honest communication. It's crucial for both partners to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and emotions in a safe and non-judgmental environment. This helps the counselor better understand the dynamics of the relationship and guide the couple through the process of addressing issues and finding solutions based on Christian principles. Trust and transparency are key factors in making the counseling process effective in a Christian context.

Christian marriage and relationship counseling typically incorporates Christian principles, values, and beliefs into the individual or couples counseling process. Here's an overview of how it generally works:

1. Faith-Based Foundation: Christian marriage counseling is grounded in the teachings of the Bible and Christian faith. Counselors often use biblical principles to guide couples in understanding and resolving their issues.
2. Prayer: Prayer is a significant aspect of Christian counseling. Counselors may encourage couples to pray together, seeking guidance, strength, and understanding from a Christian perspective.
3. Scripture Study: Couples may engage in studying relevant scriptures that address marriage, love, forgiveness, and communication. These passages serve as a source of guidance and inspiration for resolving marital challenges.
4. Values and Beliefs Integration: Christian counselors help couples explore how their faith informs their values and beliefs about marriage. Understanding and aligning these values can contribute to the resolution of conflicts.
5. Communication Skills: Christian marriage counseling emphasizes effective communication, drawing on biblical teachings about love, patience, and understanding. Couples are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings in a constructive and respectful manner.
6. Forgiveness and Reconciliation: The concept of forgiveness is often central to Christian counseling. Couples are guided through the process of forgiving and seeking forgiveness, as modeled in Christian teachings.
7. Role of the Counselor: Christian marriage counselors are trained professionals who integrate psychological principles with Christian values. They provide a safe and non-judgmental space for couples to explore their issues and work towards resolution.
8. Church Involvement: In some cases, Christian counselors may involve the couple's church community. Pastors or other church leaders may provide additional support and guidance.

It's important to note that Christian individual and marriage counseling can vary, and different counselors may approach it in various ways. The ultimate goal is to help couples strengthen their marriage through the integration of faith and psychological principles. If you are seeking Christian marriage counseling, it's advisable to find a counselor whose approach aligns with your beliefs and values.

People who choose specific religious, spiritual, and/or faith-based counseling (for example, Christian marriage counseling ) are looking to find a marriage or relationship therapist with beliefs and philosophies that are in alignment with their particular religious views and sentiments. Sometimes this can be challenging, especially if your life-style choices or sexual orientation are out of step with the dominant dogma of the religious organization you are seeking out for support and counsel. The Catholic church and it's historic challenges with gay and lesbian relationships comes to mind, for example.

Regardless of whether you are seeking Jewish marriage counseling or some form of non-secular marriage counseling, from a professional view these marriage and relationship counselors should all hold fast to ethical codes, professional standards, utilize supervision when required, and seek advice from suitable diagnostic texts.

The first article in this series is Does Marriage Counseling Work?

As a Relationship Specialist, Steven Cohn, PhD, works with marriages and couples from all over Oregon including these cities, towns, and suburbs: Portland, West Linn, Dunthorpe, Pearl District, Bethany, West Hills, Irvington, Lake Oswego, Alameda, Bend, East Moreland, Salem, Ashland, and Medford.

And these Oregon zip codes: 97034, 97219, 97212, 94501, 94502, 97229, 97840, 97451, 97106, 97068, 97221, 97140, 97035, 97036

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Steven M Cohn, PhD is honored to have been featured on CNBC.com.

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Steven M Cohn, PhD is pleased to have been featured on Koin 6 Television: "Boost In The Bedroom."

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Steven M Cohn, PhD is pleased to have been featured on both KATU.com and KATU Channel 2 Television.

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Steven M Cohn, PhD is pleased to have been featured on Oregon Live "Why Oregon's Latest Divorce Statistics May Be Divorced From Reality"

Steven M Cohn, PhD, MBA, LMFT has twice been named one of the top three marriage counselors in Portland, Oregon by the non-profit organization Three Best Rated

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