Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-26
Family counselinq


Miriam Ottenberg's account
Of marital counseling services
in the District is important
and in the public interest. We,
in Family and Child Services,
are aware both Of the limita-
tons Of the best prepared per-
son TO deal with the serious
problems of family relations
and Of the hazards in the use
Of the unqualified.
Caseworkers in this agency
are required to have a grad
uate degree from an accred-
tied school Of social work. The
organizational structure pro-
vides additional safeguards
through exacting supervision,
continued in-service training.
and pSychiatric consultation.
This we believe to be a mini-
: NAL requisite for the practice
Of counseling. 1t Is of note
that the staff Of Family and
Child Services averages Is
years in practice.
Unhappily, our agency is
unable to offer intensive help
to all who seek it. There are
limits to the number Of peo-
pie which any caseworker can
effectively serve. And yet
family counseling should be
available to those who need it.
People with means should be
able to pay for service. Those
who cannot pay should re-
ceive the service ree--and it
is in the community's interest
to make such help available.
Adequate public support Of
the areas family agencies
would answer the need of the
second group. A continued
and steady growth of fee serv-
ice within the agencies is one
avenue Of service, with pro-
lection. to the group who can
pay.
Plans are now under way to
build q new ONCE for Family
and Child Services which,
while housing all its services
more adequately, win provide
a dignifled setting which viii
encourage the paying client to
use this agency.
Alvin J. Steinberg,
President, Family and Child
Services of Washington, d. c.
y = + y
I write to express my APP
probation for the very fine
series OF articles by Miriam
Gutenberg. During her in
vestigation, she interviewed
me several times. and ] know
from my own experience how
thoroughgoing and painstak-
ing she was to obtain the cor
rect facts. She and The Star
have made a very significant
contribution to community
understanding of a very vital
problem.
George M. Pikser,
Executive Director, Jewish
Social Service Agency and
Jewish Foster Home.
II i y "
The Star is to be com.
mended for the public serv-
ice it has rendered in pub
fishing the series, advice
for Sale" by Miriam Often
berg.
People with marital diff
culties, as is true generally
with people Ynanifesting
other kinds of problems,
often feel overwhelmed and
do not know where to turn
for help. It is entirely con-
ceivable that individuals in
their quest for help will look
to any sympathetic listener
and may find themselves re-
ceiving counsel from someone
ill-equipped to offer such
help. AS Miss Ottenberg's
articles so clearly reveal, "ad-
vice" is often given by coun-
Selors' who have neither
the training nor qualifica-
ton to help people with
problems Of human relation
ships. Furthermore, advice
is not what these individuals
need. It is recognized that
advice giving does not re-
solve marriage conflicts, but
can complicate an already
complex situation.
Sound marriage counseling
must be predicated upon the
assumption that the coun-
selor has demonstrated that
he or she is able to meet def
initely established standards
with respect to education,
training and experience. In
order to protect the public;
as well as the qualified and
competent practitioners Of
marriage counseling, some
system Of licensure or certi-
f1cation for the National
Capital area Is indicated.
This apparently is being con-
sidered by the professional
associations, such as the Ma
tional Association Of 81 pal