writing a paper summarizing what was learned from an interview with a professional in the field of premarital counseling or marriage enrichment education.

After the interview, write a 3-4 page paper (the page count excludes the title page) and summarize what you learned. Include the following section headers in your paper that follow the interview format:
Professional Interviewed (address questions #1 and #2)
Programs or Materials Used with Couples (question #3)
Other Recommended Programs (question #4)
Assessing Outcomes (question #5)
Additional Tips for Success (question #6)
Personal Reflections
In the personal reflections section, summarize any other learning, ideas, or personal reflections that you have about your future role as a premarital counselor or marriage enrichment educator as a result of this conversation.
Although this is an informal paper, you must follow current APA format: see the rubric for graded aspects of APA style. An abstract and references are not required, but a reference page must be included if you have in-text citations to support your assertions or to give credit for the information provided. Write the paper in the third person, except for the Personal Reflections section which you may write in the first person. In other words, translate the interviewees’ responses into third-person responses using the last name only, as in “Smith reported that he does not…” or “Jones typically sees couples twice a week…” Use direct quotations by the interviewee sparingly, and only highlight significant statements.
Information:
I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of TX. I am a certified Prepare/ Enrich facilitator, and I am a certified Level 1 trained Gottman couples therapist. I have been providing counseling for couples for about 7 years, with my first experience being a graduate level intern. I currently provide both premarital and marital enrichment counseling to couples via telehealth.
2- I’ve always had an interest in working with couples. I would sneak and read my parents books about relationships and marriage as a teenager. Being able to help couples explore, identify, and healthily navigate important aspects of their lives that impact their relationship has been most fulfilling for me. I have personally and professionally seen how a strong and healthy marriage significantly impacts the health and well-being of the couple, and their children. Being able to help couples move towards achieving this has been my honor.
3- I do not have a set program or resource that I use with my couples. Sometimes I use Gottman principles, but I always use a hope-focused approach (rather than a problem-focused). I use Prepare/Enrich most with premarital counseling. I believe that couple’s like this resource because it highlights various categories where incongruence exists that could cause concern if not addressed and/or resolved.
Both Gottman and Prepare/Enrich include faith-based options that offer Biblical perspective in order to build an even stronger relationship.
4- For individuals starting out in the field, I would strongly recommend learning about emotional focused therapy (EFT). EFT addresses a myriad of issues that can impact couples and families. The ultimate goal in EFT is to help couples achieve better connection and a more secure attachment. Not only will this be beneficial to the couple as a unit, but it is also very useful in working with individuals.
5- I assess outcomes based on the couple’s verbal feedback and before-and- after assessments.
6- To be an effective provider of premarital counseling or marriage enrichment education, it is important to remember to remain compassionate and objective. Many couples seek services and are hoping for someone to side with them, you are not there to take sides, but to help them discover and integrate tools that will produce a healthier relationship.
Please let me know if you need me to elaborate with additional details.