People come to therapy to improve the quality of their lives — whether it is to focus on issues in their relationships, problems with stress and anxiety or with depression. We can help.
As licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, we make confidential referrals to qualified therapists to help you with your concerns.
Let us find a supportive and understanding counselor to help you with life’s ups and downs. Need CPI training near me nonviolent near me? Visit our CPI training near me nonviolent page on our CPI training near me nonviolent blog. Also we offer crisis intervention training online crisis intervention training online. Need to learn de-escalation techniques?
De-escalation training certification:
is a valuable and essential program designed to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively manage and diffuse tense or potentially volatile situations. This certification focuses on teaching techniques and strategies for reducing conflict, improving communication, and promoting a safer environment in various settings, such as healthcare, law enforcement, customer service, and education. Participants in de-escalation training learn how to recognize signs of agitation and aggression, employ active listening, use non-verbal communication effectively, and implement de-escalation tactics that prioritize the safety and well-being of all parties involved. Obtaining de-escalation training certification not only enhances one’s professional credentials but also plays a crucial role in fostering peaceful interactions and conflict resolution in today’s diverse and challenging world. Visit our de escalation training certification page on our de-escalation techniques blog. We also offer de escalation training for teachers online at our de escalation training for teachers page on our de escalation training for teachers blog.
NVCI (Nonviolent Crisis Intervention) certification is a valuable training program that equips individuals, often in healthcare, education, and social service sectors, with essential skills to effectively manage and de-escalate crisis situations. This certification emphasizes non-violent communication techniques, safety measures, and empathy-driven approaches when dealing with individuals in distress. Participants undergo comprehensive training to understand diverse emotional states, effectively communicate with empathy, and prevent violent behaviors. NVCI certification ensures that individuals are well-prepared to respond to crises, fostering safer and more compassionate environments. It also underscores the importance of adhering to evidence-based best practices and promotes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, making it a crucial certification for professionals working with diverse populations and in settings where crisis intervention is necessary.
We Offer Services To:
- Individuals of All Ages — seniors, young adults, children, and teens
- Couples — married, living together, breaking up, same sex, step-parenting, or premarital counseling
- Families — traditional, blended or stepfamilies
- Adolescents (Teenagers) and Children
East Bay Counseling Choices is the personalized referral service of the East Bay Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Residents of the greater East Bay have found quality referrals with us since 1986.
We invite you to meet our therapists and learn more about the services we offer.
History
Marriage counseling originated in Germany in the 1920s as part of the eugenics movement. [1] [2] The first marriage counseling institutes in the United States began in the 1930s, in part in response to the medically run racially cleansing marriage counseling centers in Germany. It was promoted by prominent American eugenicists such as Paul Popenoe , who headed the American Institute of Family Relations until 1976, [3] and Robert Latou Dickinson and by birth control advocates such as Abraham and Hannah Stone, who wrote A Marriage Manual in 1935 and were involved with Planned Parenthood . [1] Other founders in the United States include Lena Levine and Margaret Sanger.
It was not until the 1950s that therapists began to treat psychological problems in the context of the family. [4] Relationship counseling as a discreet professional service is therefore a recent phenomenon. Until the late 20th century, relationship counseling work was done informally by close friends, family members, or local religious leaders . Psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors , and social workers have historically dealt primarily with individual psychological problems in a medical and psychoanalytic setting. [4]In many less technologically advanced cultures around the world today, the work of relationship counseling is fulfilled by the institution of the family , village, or group elders . Today, marriage tutoring reflects those cultures.
With increasing modernization or westernization in many parts of the world and the continuing shift towards isolated nuclear families, the trend is towards trained and accredited relationship counselors or couples therapists. Volunteers are sometimes trained by the government or social service institutions to help those who need marriage or family counseling. Many communities and government departments have their own team of professional relationship counselors and trained volunteers. Many universities and colleges operate similar services, sometimes staffed by volunteers from the peer group students . Some large companies maintain a full-time career counseling staff to facilitate smoother interactions between corporate employees and minimize the negative effects that personal difficulties can have on job performance.
There is a growing trend towards professional certification and government registration of these services. This is due in part to the presence of duty of care issues and the consequences of the counselor’s or therapist’s services being provided in a fiduciary relationship.
Basic principles
It is estimated that nearly half of all married couples divorce and about one in five marriages experience heartbreak at some point. Challenges with affection, communication, disagreements, and fear of divorce are some of the most common reasons couples seek help. Couples who are dissatisfied with their relationship can turn to a variety of sources for help, including online courses, self-help books, retreats, workshops, and couples counseling. [6]
Before a relationship between individuals can begin to be understood, it is important to acknowledge and acknowledge that each person, including the counselor, has a unique personality, perception , set of values , and history. The individuals in the relationship may adhere to different and unexamined value systems. Institutional and social variables (such as social, religious, group and other collective) that shape a person’s nature and behavior are considered in the counseling and therapy process. A principle of relationship counseling is that it is inherently beneficial for all participants to interact with each other and with society at large with optimal levels of conflict. A couple’s conflict resolution skills seem to predict divorce rates. [7]
Most relationships will become strained at some point, resulting in a failure to function optimally and producing self-reinforcing maladaptive patterns. These patterns can be called “negative interaction cycles”. There are many possible reasons for this, including insecure attachment, ego , arrogance , jealousy , anger , greed , poor communication/understanding or problem solving , poor health, third parties, etc.
Changes in situations such as financial status, physical health, and the influence of other family members can have a profound influence on the behavior, responses, and actions of people in a relationship.