Relationship Counseling Courses

Relationship counseling courses: Perhaps, your dream has always been to become a relationship counselor; we are here to put you through the way to becoming one.  We are ready to guide you through the necessary steps to become a relationship counselor. The courses are up online for you to enroll. I shall find a way out for you to enroll in a reliable online platform. However, if you look closely into this topic in hand, it does not specify that the courses must be online. Therefore, as I give the guidance, kindly have it on your mind that I am referring to both on-campus and online courses in relationship counseling.

Note: this article will base on degree programs, except when necessary, bachelor’s level will be included. The reason is that the first requirement for you to become a relationship counselor is to have a master’s degree. After, this requirement is actualized; you are free to study various courses under relationship counseling.

Who can study relationship counseling courses?

Ordinarily, anyone can become a relationship counselor; however, in a more official language, everyone cannot become a counselor. You must have a psychology background in either psychology or related courses at the bachelor’s level. If you don’t have this requirement, you may find it difficult to be easily accepted to study relationship counseling courses.

Important information to note

Master’s degree in marriage and family therapy can be slightly completed through distance learning. However, even if all coursework is completed online, you will still need to complete your practical clinical training at a close counseling center or medical facility. Some of the programs may need an on-campus intervention before completion – this is what is called on-campus residencies. Before you complete this coursework online, it may require career or tutoring services. An audio and video card and video plugin.

The programs will have to be accredited by the Commission for Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COANFTE). This is essential so that your course of study will be officially guided and licensed at the end of the whole program and internship. You are also advised to contact your state licensing board to find out if a specific program will require a sitting for qualifying exams. You also must take note that; master’s degree is the first requirement to begin a career in relationship counseling. You must have undergone a supervised clinical training and pass state licensing exams, depending on your state.

Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s Degree

An online master’s degree program in marriage and family therapy prepares you as a graduate to be able to provide relationship counseling and numerous therapeutic assistance to couples and families who are faced with various issues ranging from family catastrophe, and problems. The importance is normal to place on the way the structure of marriage should look, as well as the cultural factors that may affect the process of the counseling. No wonder it is very essential that you must be well versed in the understanding of how a family functions, the strength of the emotional disorder, that lie within the relationship and the intergenerational factors affecting the structure of the marriage. in the course of your study, these areas will be covered: assessment, and treatment techniques as shall be applied when treating your clients. Contemporary and traditional family and marriage models too will be treated during the course of study. In fact, legal issues in counseling will not be left untouched.

The Requirements for the Program

You must hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology or other related courses as a typical requirement for the relations counseling programs, this very one is not out of them. The bachelor’s degree, however, must be obtained from an accredited institution and must have prerequisite coursework in psychology. Marriage and family therapy programs are often mixtures in the scenery, therefore, may require supervised clinical experiences or intensive experiences.

Course material can be learned online through the online system designed to aid the student’s learning such as marker board. You will as well be able to interact with professors and other student studying the same course with you through a system called bulletin board. Sometimes, you can interact either through e-mail or chat rooms. Writing assistance, career services, and tutoring may be included among the online resources for you to learn in a more convenient way. There will be requirements such as Internet connection, or Cable, Microsoft office, and a standard and Updated Operated system probably window 10 as the case may be. A sound card will be required too, a video card is not left out of the requirements, in fact, speaker for a clearer sound for the student if possible. For a better view of the lecture videos online, flash player or Media player is required.

Numerous Coursework that is required

Since there are lots of course materials that trained students on how to deal with family and marriage therapy, students will find it easier to learn the methods through which they can counsel children, and study the psychopathology of abnormal behavior.

Human Growth and Development

This course has to do with the study of the human growth and development, it observes the psychological and social factors that influence human development—i.e. personal growth. The topics to be taken under this course include development theory and research methods which include personality development.

Marital Counseling

Various courses are offered as part of marriage and family counseling courses which tackle the areas of marital and couple counseling. The course areas include couple therapy models, emotionally focuses therapy, dysfunctional marriages among others and couple therapy assessment.

Children Counseling

Children counseling has to do with issues that are related to the counseling given to children and adolescents. The topics for this course include child trauma and factors impacting family development, and Children’s developmental needs.

Psychology

This is based basically on the diagnosis and treatment of unusual behavior. As a student, you will study diagnostic models and treatment of disorderliness in mental attitudes.

The Important Information about the Course

As an online student of family and marriage therapy, being a master’s degree student—you are actually trained to give therapeutic or educational assistance to partners and families in various settings, which does not exclude medical centers, outpatient centers, public service agencies, hospitals, mental health centers, and educational facilities. When you are done with the program—can equally work in private services.

However, there is a requirement of licensure, depending on the state you are, the most highly demanded requirement is to be a master’s degree holder, i.e. the completion of master’s degree program. Extensive clinical experience is also required and the sitting and passing of a state exam if demanded. If you are so interested; can pursue a career in marriage and family therapy at the doctorate level. This will serve as an added advantage for your career opportunity. It is through that the employment rate for marriage and family therapy will increase by some certain percentage in the nearest future. This is so because, since 2014, the demand for relationship counseling has been increasing.  The earning capacity annually for an average marriage and family counselor was $48,600 as recorded by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It is now left for you to search online for this course. It can be found online. However, as you search for it, ensure that you enroll under reliable schools. According to the country you are, you should be related to the accredited institutions close to you. Therefore, this shouldn’t be hard to do. The truth is that some of the accredited institutions sometimes will ask you to appear in person when it is time for an internship or residency.

Master’s of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy

In this course, your role as an intermediary for marriage and families that are facing marital conflict due to one reason or the other depending on the current situation is focused on. Apart from that, child and adolescent behavioral disorder, addiction, and individual assessments are also looked into.  As you match forward in your course of studies, you will be introduced ethical and professional behavior in a therapeutic setting, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy’s codes of ethics. The courses that will be offered in this course include Domestic Violence, Cultural belief, Bereavement, Origin theory, and Child Development.

Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy

This is already known to be a high level of education; therefore, there will be great credibility, attached to it. You can take your career to the next level by enrolling this course after the completion of your master’s degree—as an alternative for Continue Education.

This program is designed for doctoral students like you to pursue jobs in research or sometimes teaching related areas in link with relationship counseling. The program equally prepares you to apply the knowledge of psychological theories to large areas of counseling issues. This signifies that a doctoral degree student is an extraordinary one that can handle a wide range of psychological issue due to his or her wealth of knowledge and level of education. The doctoral student has the right to practice diagnosis for mental illness and treatment of psychological upset. There are other areas a doctoral student are trained to focus on which are treatment models and teaching competencies that are designed upon syllabuses development such as learning assignments, and lesson planning.

Some of the requirements for this course are that the students will have to complete a doctoral dissertation, teaching experiences, comprehensive examinations, a one-year internship, and clinical practicum. Programs such as research-intensive program which includes the following coursework such as quantitative and qualitative research, research in clinical trials, adult learning, and high-risk populations. These courses are also included: Social justice, Addiction therapy, Regression, and Family systems.

You can pursue a career in this course after the completion and the career most popularly available are Professorship, Clinical supervisor, and Research analyst.  The employment outlook is quite handsome and the salary is very cute. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Marriage and Family therapist recorded 32, 070 jobs in the year 2015 in the United States—this signifies how large the career opportunity is. As for the salary, it is also something to be proud of. This is because, the annual salary for a U.S therapist ranges between $77, 000 through $93,000. This is a huge amount indeed.

The continue Education Details on this Course: after the completion of this doctoral degree course, as a graduate, you are eligible to apply for the National Certified Counselor Examination—NCC. This is normally done for licensure and Certification that are administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. For this reason, NCCs are demanded to complete 100 continuing education hours every five years as a means to retain their certification. However, such requirement varies by states; therefore, you are advised to make an inquiry for your state’s requirements from the Licensing Board.

After the completion of your degree programs and you have been licensed or certified to practice your wealth of knowledge, you may become relationship counselor—dealing with marriage, and family relationship and other romantic relationships as well. You may become a professor or research analyst as it was mentioned previously.

Some Accredited Institutions Offering Relationship Counseling Courses

Utah State University: the marriage and family therapy course is normally discussed through a free online course that is offered at the University. They normally cover the following courses: sexual relationship, finances, and communication. The course in positive parenting is also offered and consists of both audio and video clips on knowledge such as principles of behavior, positive responding and building of self-esteem.

Open University                

This institution offers courses in sexuality and the right of children otherwise known as children’s right. The topics include fertility, social policy, and the role of a child in modern society. Open University provides courses in sexuality, parenthood, and children’s rights. Topics include fertility, social policy, and what role a child plays in modern society.

Tufs University

Tufs University offers courses in mental development areas such as positive development, and intellectual development. Take home exams are required during the course and also required readings from texts such as the scientist in the crib and mind in society by L. Vygotsky.

You know more about relationship counseling courses online? Please share with us in the comments.