Contextual and Systemic Barriers to Marriage and Family Counselling Practice in Nigeria

Marriage and family counselling is a recognised area of specialisation within counselling psychology. Unlike individual counselling, which attained professional status in developed countries several decades ago, marriage and family counselling in Nigeria has yet to achieve comparable recognition. Its implementation has been hampered by diverse contextual challenges and the absence of an enabling environment. These barriers have largely restricted the practice to major urban centres, creating a vacuum that has been exploited by unqualified practitioners. This paper examines the numerous challenges confronting marriage and family counselling practitioners in Nigeria, including those related to practice settings, employment and remuneration, family financial management, home-based pressures, and the absence of minimum professional standards. Evidence-based strategies for addressing these challenges are recommended.

Marriage and Family Counselling, Professional Challenges, Practice Environment, Nigeria.

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