Marriage and Counselling in African Communities: Challenges and Counselling Approaches

Abstract

The article explores a variety of marital counselling approaches relevant to African settings: indigenous, Western, Christian and Islamic. These approaches to marital counselling are influenced in their use by various social movements, including globalisation, women empowerment, sexual orientation and living with HIV/AIDS. There is potential to develop innovative approaches to marital therapy in the African context. These innovative approaches can build on the rich traditions of historical practices and the promises of the changing global socio-cultural milieu.

Keywords:

• marriage
• marital therapy
• counselling
• polygamy
• gay couples