How To Be A Couples Therapist And Specialize Professionally
couples therapy It is one of the most interesting areas of work in which a psychologist can specialize.
Not only does it allow us to intervene in an area of life that is extremely important for many people, but it also contributes to adopting a vision of the therapeutic process that goes beyond the individual. That is, it is based on a conception of psychological well-being in which each person is cognitively and emotionally linked to their context, and above all to their loved ones.
When it comes to specializing to dedicate yourself professionally (mainly, or in combination with other forms of psychological intervention) to couples therapy, Keep in mind these criteria that Master’s and postgraduate courses must meet from which you are going to choose. These will allow you to get an idea about the quality of these training programs.
1. Offers the possibility of doing internships
Couples therapy is a clearly applied activity: Theory is useless if we do not know how to apply it and contrast it with reality Furthermore, love relationships are fundamentally changing and dynamic phenomena, so we cannot attempt to approach them in a linear manner, first checking what the books say and then executing the instructions that are described. It is necessary to gain fluency in real-time learning contexts, in a therapeutic context with patients.
Therefore, to be a couples therapist, it is essential to go through training programs that give the option of practicing with real couples, not only through imagination and hypothetical situations.
2. It is taught by professionals in this discipline
Partly because of what we have seen before, the possibility of receiving the supervision and knowledge of psychologists with extensive experience in couples therapy is very beneficial for those who want to learn. In this way, even the theoretical component of this training will have a practice-oriented element.
Couples therapy professionals go beyond manuals, and They offer advice about the small details of everyday life, both what happens in the psychological assistance sessions and what happens between them: planning, bureaucracy, schedule management, etc.
3. It goes beyond the pathological
Although the concept of therapy is usually used in the clinical context, we must not lose sight of the fact that, in practice, the problems addressed in couples therapy do not have disorders as their cause.
Therefore, a postgraduate or Master’s degree in couples therapy It must be based on social psychology, and not so much on clinical and health psychology unless it is designed to be extremely specialized in a specific area of romantic relationships (or in a part of the population already diagnosed with mental disorders).
4. Takes sexuality into account
Human sexuality is deeply involved in the vast majority of relationships, either as a source of emotional problems or as a factor in maintaining these problems, if they have originated outside the bedroom. Therefore, becoming a couples therapist involves expanding your knowledge and experience in this aspect of intimate life.
5. Provides training in the therapeutic relationship
The ability to carry out a good therapeutic relationship is crucial. Therefore, these courses and Masters must include practical advice of this type, which allows the therapeutic process to flow and for couples who come seeking professional help to commit to the evolution of these sessions.
Where to specialize?
If you are interested in training to become a couples therapist in the Murcia area, a very good option is the Master in Sexology and Couples Therapy carried out by the Couple Institute available in blended, in-person and online formats.
This option to become professional, designed and promoted by the reference entity in Murcia in relation to couples therapy, allows you to learn during a 10-month course about everything related to romantic relationships, sexuality and sexual therapy, dependency cases, situations of gender violence, paraphilias, and much more.
