We all are living in a world that is going through challenges every day. It can easily take a toll on us and our ability to communicate with our partners effectively. Ineffective communication can create further problems in a relationship. Therefore, seeking help from a person who knows how to handle such issues in a relationship becomes essential. This is where the role of a relationship counsellor comes in. Do you want to help people in distress? Given below are the requirements for a career in relationship counselling.
Job Description of Relationship Counsellors
A relationship counsellor’s primary role is to help people achieve a good relationship.
- A relationship counsellor uses talk therapy to determine the cause and analysis of the issue or problem in the relationship.
- A relationship counsellor aims to teach the couple to communicate and share their feelings during difficult times effectively.
- Relationship counsellor uses behavioural therapy to guide their clients to exhibit healthier behaviour and communication among themselves.
- A relationship counsellor helps both parties learn control over their anger, thoughts, and emotions
- A relationship counsellor diagnoses specific disorders and issues that are causing or affecting the relationship.
- A relationship counsellor helps clients cope with difficult or adverse situations in life that affect one or both parties.
- A relationship counsellor guides clients through divorce, when necessary.
What is the Role of a Relationship Counsellor?
A relationship counsellor is a person who helps couples in relationships such as marital, unmarried, with children or without. A relationship counsellor counsels people who are experiencing some problems in their relationship.
Skills Needed for Becoming a Relationship Counsellor
1. Focus
The glitched focus strongly hinders a healthy mind. Practising focus helps one attain clear visions and formulated aspects and thoughts for one’s work or topic. Yoga and meditation are also quite popular options in increasing focus. You can also suggest this to your clients and practice it yourself to achieve your goals.
2. Effective Communication skills
How can we forget this important life skill? Good communication skills are part of being a good counsellor. The counsellor must establish clear communication channels to develop practical projects. Having good communication skills will help you in managing work and getting good knowledge to the clients.
3. Analytics
Counselling is not just about good communication skills and creativity. Analysis plays an essential role in understanding your clients. With analytical skills, you can figure out the issues in a relationship. You can also get a clear view of the counselling that you are delivering.
4. Learn
You got the new career option for a reason; your previous experiences suggested that you are eager to learn and improve, so take advantage of the chance. Ask for guidance from people in the same situation who are succeeding. Do some study and attempt to adjust by increasing your expertise. It will help the adjustment quickly, and you will soon feel comfortable in your new role.
5. Ask questions
Never be hesitant to ask questions to your clients. This will help you comprehend what you need to do and detect the problems you need to work on, making it more time-consuming and non-effective. You should try to know your client’s feelings so that you can counsel them accordingly and establish a career in relationship counselling.
Salary and Employment Status of a Career In Relationship Counselling
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categorises couples’ counsellors under the term “Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.” The average salary for a relationship counsellor is INR 599,956 a year and INR 400 an hour. With experience and work quality, you can even expect more. Job prospects for a relationship counsellor are also strong. The rate at which jobs are growing for all professionals in the relationship counselling field is 19%. This rate is much faster than the average growth rate of jobs in 2014 and 2024. You will have to gain a master’ degree and a counselling license to find more employment opportunities.
Education for Career in Relationship Counselling
If you want to work as a relationship counsellor, you should earn a master’s degree in counselling. Most counsellors in our country begin their careers and studies in undergraduate psychology programs. But it is recommended to achieve a master’s degree to earn more in this field. A master’s degree that includes a variety of subjects prepares a person in the field of counselling. These subjects include Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Mental Health Counselling, and Psychology.
You can also obtain an education specialist (Ed.S.) degree or a doctoral degree (PhD or Psy.D.) in counselling. You should also enrol yourself in an accredited couples counselling program to gain the license. Have a look at the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs website to determine which programs are accredited.
You can search the National Board for Certified Counselors for your state’s counselling requirements. You can find more information in detail on the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards website. You should also learn and understand the exhaustive Guide To Becoming A Psychologist And Its Scope In India.
You can also pursue a diploma in counselling. This is a short-term course for people who wish to pursue a career in relationship counselling. A person should complete their schooling to pursue this course. Students are taught psychology, therapy, Mental Health, and more.
Colleges That Offer A Course in Relationship Counselling in India
1. Goa University |
2. Dev Samaj College of Education |
3. Global Institute of Medical Sciences |
4. Government Bilasa Girls Post Graduate College |
5. Awadhesh Pratap Singh University |
6. CVM Institute of Human Resource Development |
7. KJ Somaiya Bhartiya Sanskriti Peetham |
8. Jyotiba Institute of Management and Technology |
9. Government College of Educational Psychology and Guidance |
Conclusion
No counsellor can help their clients if they do not know how to manage time. As a counsellor, you may have to work on different strategies and projects simultaneously with the same efficiency. Thus, this skill is very crucial. Time management is a skill that can only be learned with practice and patience.
We at Mindler are always ready to help you and provide you with tips to start a career in relationship counselling. Get in touch with us today for information to consider a Career in Counselling!