No one goes into a marriage expecting to face relationship difficulties. However, sometimes situations arise where it becomes necessary to have someone help spouses come to an agreement.
This is where marriage counselors step in. These professionals will work through the problem with the two parties, and will attempt to bring about the best solution for all involved.
In the New Jersey area, there are a number of different counselors that are available to help. Many religious organizations have their own counselors; specifically, there are a number of Christian therapists available for your help.
As well, there are counselors who speak Spanish, and also those who do full retreats for couples. The retreats are an interesting option, as they allow the couple to step away from the normal routine and influences in their life, and spend time focused on solving their marriage difficulties. The following counselors are some of the best in New Jersey.
Vashona Etienne – Clinical Social Work/Therapist
Mrs. Etienne is a top therapist in the NJ region. She is not only a clinical worker, but also adds other elements such as life coaching and psychotherapy in order to ensure that the best solution is achieved. This multi-faceted approach ensures that clients receive the best help available.
Her marital counseling includes pre-marital, marital conflict, and divorce focus areas; ultimately, she will be able to help you regardless of the state of your marriage.
Mrs. Etienne focuses on African-American and Hispanic clientele. She notes that many familial problems are rooted in difficulties from other areas of life that are then brought into the family. As such, she is well read in many areas of personal growth outside of the family.
This ensures that if a problem is revealed which is causing the marital discord, she will be able to continue the therapy in a new direction to fix the root problem as well.
Dr. Robin Greene – Psychologist, Ph.D.
Dr. Robin Greene is a licensed psychologist who focuses on the idea of marital harmony. She has over 30 years of experience.
Her belief is that often marital discord happens because partners do not understand the different ways that the other spouse wants love to be shown; though each spouse is showing love, they are expressing it in a way that they would prefer rather than a way the recipient would prefer.
She also focuses on building empathy within relationships as a way of strengthening communication.
Dr. Greene not only focuses on the adults involved in the marriage, but also attempts to help teenagers deal with their family problems as well.
This again goes back to the creation of empathy and understanding to improve family dynamics. This can be helpful to parents of teenagers who want to deal with the marital problems as a family, or whose marital problems have alienated or detrimentally affected their children. This idea of family harmony is especially important in her role as a divorce counselor.
Stephen Deats – Clinical/Social Work Therapist
Stephen Deats is a respected Christian therapist in the Mendham, New Jersey area. He has over 10 years of experience as a counselor, and is devoted to the idea that faith should be integrated with therapy to ensure complete healing of emotional wounds.
This is key to his marital counseling, as he focuses on building Christ-focused treatment into his psychological techniques.
Deats is available to couples, and also does family sessions with children and teens. The importance of including the entire family in the healing process is seen through his techniques, which are professionally-accepted, that are melded with biblical ideals.
He also deals with a number of other areas such as alcoholism, addiction, PTSD, anger management, and abuse; this wide range of study ensures that any problems discovered in the healing process will be able to the dealt with properly within the confines of the therapy.
Marriage Retreats in NJ
Marriage retreats are times for couples to get away from the bustle of daily life and force themselves to take the time to focus on their relationship.
These retreats are often held by different groups, such as churches or other religious groups, or individual counselors.
These are usually held outside of the normal region of living, and often take place in group settings with multiple couples being involved in both shared and private sessions. These retreats take place on a variable basis.
If you are unable to join a marriage retreat, or wish to have a more private option, there is an online version of a marriage retreat called Marriage Fitness.
This is a 7-week course that focuses on the connection and communication spouses need to build a strong marriage. This program can be completed at home, and allows participants to do so without the knowledge of those around them.
This program is a great alternative for couples who are unable to get away, or possibly just have the need to ensure confidentiality regarding the obstacles they are facing.
Read also: There are a number of marriage counselors in the Tulsa area, that are available to help.