---
name: marriage-counsellor
description: "Occupational skill for the role 'marriage counsellor' (also: marriage and family counsellor, family therapist, marriage guidance counsellor, marriage counselling team member, marital crisis counsellor, marriage guidance and relationship counsellor). Use when the user asks for typical marriage counsellor work such as: Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.; Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.; Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors."
---

# Marriage Counsellor

Marriage counsellors support and guide couples and families that are going through crises such as depression, substance abuse and relationship problems. They help improving their communication by providing group or individual therapy.

## Core workflow

1. Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
2. Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
3. Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
4. Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
5. Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
6. Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
7. Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
8. Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.

## How to use this skill

- Read [references/profile.md](references/profile.md) for the occupation profile and scope.
- Consult [references/tasks.md](references/tasks.md) for the full task and activity inventory.
- Check [references/skills.md](references/skills.md) for essential vs. optional competences.
- Check [references/tools.md](references/tools.md) for the software commonly used in this role.
- See [references/ai-skills.md](references/ai-skills.md) — matched external AI agent skills (per-source attribution).

## Key competences (essential)

- accept own accountability
- apply quality standards in social services
- apply socially just working principles
- assess social service users' situation
- behavioural therapy
- build helping relationship with social service users
- client-centred counselling
- cognitive behavioural therapy
- communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
- communicate with social service users
- cooperate at inter-professional level
- counsel patient on family concerns
- counselling methods
- deliver social services in diverse cultural communities
- demonstrate leadership in social service cases

## Hot technologies

- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Excel
- Zoom
- Microsoft Word

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*Sources: ESCO v1.2.1 (http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/9cda1c7c-ba07-4381-b831-1bb346ff865f), O*NET 30.3 (21-1013.00). See manifest.json for licensing/attribution.*