What makes a marriage great? How do some couples avoid divorce after years of mistrust or infidelity?

The answer is different for every couple, but as marriage counselors will tell you, certain skills and tools can help many couples prevent issues and overcome them. If this subject fascinates you, you might want to consider a career in marriage counseling.

Marriage counseling, family counseling, or relationship therapy can be a very rewarding career (and one that makes you a hit at parties!) Read on to learn how to start a marriage counseling career, what approaches are popular among modern marriage counselors, and who you can look to for guidance. Let’s save some marriages!

What Does a Marriage Counselor Do?Job RequirementsSalary (How Much Do Marriage Counselors Make?)Schools for Marriage Counseling DegreesLicensing and Career Paths in Marriage CounselingCompanies That Hire Marriage CounselorsInterviews from a Marriage CounselorFamous Marriage CounselorsMarriage Counseling Examples

What Does a Marriage Counselor Do?

Job Requirements

Salary (How Much Do Marriage Counselors Make?)

Schools for Marriage Counseling Degrees

Licensing and Career Paths in Marriage Counseling

Companies That Hire Marriage Counselors

Interviews from a Marriage Counselor

Famous Marriage Counselors

Marriage Counseling Examples

A marriage counselor helps couples and families navigate common relationship issues using several approaches. They might help a couple work out communication issues surrounding fidelity, revive intimacy issues after having children, or give tools to prevent any problems that couples may anticipate as they move through life.

Not all marriage counselors use the same tools or approaches to help their clients. Common approaches include:

These approaches explain why we choose certain partners, how we strengthen relationships, and the best way to have hard conversations.

Why become a marriage counselor? There are many reasons: you can help couples fall in love again, repair families, and even help people get out of situations holding them back. If you have a passion for relationships and helping others, you may want to consider marriage counseling!

Before most marriage counselors choose a specific approach that appeals to them, they learn general psychology or social work concepts at college. Marriage therapists must earn a minimum of a Master’s Degree in relationship therapy or a related major to move forward with licensure or opening a private practice.

Although you may open a practice after obtaining your license, you will still need to continue your education to keep that license and to be the best counselor you can be!

Since most marriage counselors open their practice, they must pay the bill to gain clients and maintain their business. Although this leaves less room for a high salary, it’s still possible for a marriage counselor to make six figures. Your salary will depend on how much you charge, where you live, and customer retention.

Marriage Counselor Reported SalaryLowAverageHighUS News$42,910$49,880$75,410ZipRecruiter$47,239$71,155$91,179Salary.com$55,723$66,123$78,646Career Explorer$37,000$49,900$96,500

Marriage Counselor Reported Salary

Low

Average

High

US News

$42,910

$49,880

$75,410

ZipRecruiter

$47,239

$71,155

$91,179

Salary.com

$55,723

$66,123

$78,646

Career Explorer

$37,000

$49,900

$96,500

Before you can earn a salary, you have to go to school! These colleges and universities are known for their marriage counseling programs:

Types of Licenses:

Each state may have different requirements for these licenses, including the amount of supervised clinical hours required, specific coursework, and continuing education. Before pursuing a particular license, it’s crucial to research your state’s requirements.

Career Paths with Licensing:

Continuing Education:

To maintain licensure, marriage counselors must pursue continuing education, ensuring they stay updated with the latest techniques, research, and best practices in the field.

In the past, marriage counselors primarily opened a private practice or worked alongside a small group of marriage counselors. Now, there are more options. Healthcare has gone digital; many people use apps and websites to access different counseling types.

Telehealth companies are always hiring new therapists to serve in different states and serve different clients who may be turning to these businesses for help. Before you apply to work with a larger healthcare company, make sure they accept your credentials and align with how you want to approach marriage counseling.

Marriage counselors are frequently in the news, offering advice on how couples can navigate different issues or discussing their fascinating jobs! If you want to learn more about the day in the life of a marriage counselor and the position’s future, read thisinterview with counselor Tina Tessina.

You can also listen to these podcasts on YouTube or various podcasts. On the Marriage Money Bootcamp podcast,Victoria Vogeldiscusses both her career and offers advice for couples who are becoming new parents.

Famous marriage counselors like Drs. John and Julie Gottman also talk about their approach and their experiences in the field. You can find so many speeches, lectures, and TedTalks from counselors like them!

Marriage counselors are either famous for starting their approach to marriage counseling or writing books that help peoplefind satisfactionin their marriages.

Esther Perel,for example, is known for her podcast and best-selling books on adultery and fidelity. (She even has herSubreddit community!)

Drs. Harville HendrixandHelen LaKelly Huntare the founders of Imago Relationship Therapy.

Ten years after this theory was developed, Drs. Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg introduced the world to Emotionally Focused Therapy. This approach pulled ideas from Attachment Theory and applied them to modern couples.

Gary Chapmandidn’t develop his approach to marriage therapy, but you probably have heard of his book The Five Love Languages.

Marriage counseling is more than just sitting in front of a couple asking about their infidelity - your day-to-day life may vary depending on how you want to gain clients or if you’re working for a larger healthcare company. As a marriage counselor, you may find yourself:

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Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2021, June).Marriage Counselor Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/marriage-counselor/.Practical Psychology. (2021, June). Marriage Counselor Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/marriage-counselor/.Copy

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Practical Psychology. (2021, June).Marriage Counselor Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/marriage-counselor/.Practical Psychology. (2021, June). Marriage Counselor Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/marriage-counselor/.Copy

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