Marital counselling: Teaching an eclectic approach

Limited opportunities for training combined with misperceptions about the nature of marital counselling lead to many professionals conducting consultations with couples without training. Where training exists, generally a specific ‘pure’ approach, or a definite brand of eclecticism is taught. The Sheffield Marital and Sexual Difficulties Clinic training course currently aims to give trainees the building blocks for evolving their own brand of eclecticism, or the opportunity to follow a particular approach. Psychodynamic, behavioural and systems theories are highlighted, and the various ways to which these (and other theories) can be used together are examined.