Why people can look for doctors for counseling?

Apart from his frequent contact with marital disorders the doctor has many valuable assets for marriage counseling. His education and training give him the capacity for looking behind symptoms to underlying causes, and for intelligent and reasoned assessment of the complex elements of problems. He gains experience with all kinds of people in situations through which he can see below the surface and understand many of their deeper feelings and motives. He knows their best and their worst qualities, and they feel better because he accepts them in spite of their less respectable selves.

People also know that the doctor will treat their revelations in the strictest confidence, and that helps them to come and to be open with him. They also feel freer to talk to him about matters which tend to be “taboo” in other conversation, such as the intimate sexual feelings and experiences; and they also know that he is equipped with resources by which they can gain some temporary relief from their distress and anxiety.

In addition they have confidence in his wisdom and judgment, and often an exaggerated confidence in the extent to which his statements and directions will be accepted and followed by others. They often appear to expect him to “convince” the marital partner of the enormity of what he is doing, as if the doctor were a super judge, but that does not seriously diminish his assets for counseling.

Yet another professional asset of the doctor is in the fact that people can seek his help without the same kind of admission of marital failure as would be involved in their going to a marriage counselor. When they feel hesitant to make any such open admission this may well be a crucial factor in the decision to seek help.

Finally it may be said that in many cases the doctor is honored by admission to the inner circle of his friendship and trust by many of his patients, and even if his help is not needed by them for marital trouble their warm recommendation and urgings will induce their friends who may be in trouble to go confidently for help to him.

Tags: Counseling