FAMILIES Are Nations (FAN) has highly condemned the manner in which marriage counseling has become easily accessible on social media.
In an interview with Kalemba, FAN president Judith Mwila said offering marriage counseling online is not wrong but it should be packaged in a way that it reaches the right audience only.
“This online counseling, for me it’s not right… Of cause there can be an online product that can be designed for a specific group but where anyone can access it, it can’t even be called undergoing counselling,” she argued.
“Counselling is a process. It starts before marriage and even after marriage because marriage is like a school which goes on and you continue learning.”
Mwila also condemned the “hide my identity (ID) Facebook famous posts” where marriage individuals reveal different issues to the public for advice.
She disclosed that marriage was a big institution which couples must not demean by posting their problems on social media.
“Couples that are serious with their marriage should not go that way. It actually demeans marriage. Marriage is bigger than that,” the FAN president reiterated.
“Hire people who are qualified in fact it’s the job of the parents to look for marriage counsellors for their children. You don’t expect someone whose marriage is broken to counsel you, it’s not possible.”
However, Mwila reiterated that the role of counsellors has not lost its value and advised that couples should know how to apply the marriage lessons they get.
“Counsellors will teach what they know. But are the people applying in the way that it’s taught and the way they are asked to apply it,” she said.
“Of course the packaging of some counselling material is outdated because some old traditions were detrimental to a good marriage and they need to be rebranded.”
She gave the example of a belief a husband’s womanizing ways does not break a home.
Mwila said no modern day woman can accept that henceforth, that kind of practice should be done away with.
“But some of the teachings are very rich and they can build a marriage if applied effectively,” added Mwila.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, March 21, 2024
