Social media, globalization, lack of mental health support, and even the recent COVID-19 pandemic, have all been contributing to a significant rise in divorce and separation rates in Egypt. However, in the past few years, more and more couples have started seeking couple therapy to find solutions for their arguments and conflicts. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi repeatedly criticized the notion of verbal divorce among Muslims in Egypt, and called for the establishment of a law to make divorce procedures stricter. In 2018, Al-Azhar Institute launched a campaign entitled “Live with them equitably” (وعاشروهن بالمعروف), in an attempt to reduce the high divorce rates in Egypt. Additionally, in 2014, the Coptic Orthodox Church introduced a compulsory pre-marriage course for couples, giving them advice on choosing their partners, understanding marriage, handling finances, dealing with marital problems, among other aspects. Egyptian Streets spoke to Rasha Salama, relationship counselor, and Founder of The RElation REtreat, about the most common marital problems in Egypt, the stigma surrounding therapy, and how effective couple therapy is among Egyptian couples. Her project, The RElation REtreat, offers retreats where couples are encouraged to try different activities together, group retreats…
Is Couple Therapy in Egypt Contributing to Reducing Marital Conflicts?
January 17, 2022
