Premarital Counseling

Are you in an exclusive, committed relationship?

Are you dating, engaged or soon to be married?

Do you want to expand your family?

This is special time in your relationship is an opportunity to develop a strong foundation for years to come. Premarital counseling can help you strengthen your existing relationship or work out existing differences before moving forward to the next step.

I work with many married couples who settle into married life with ideal expectations only to find themselves over time becoming dissatisfied and disconnected from their spouse. Many couples decided not to invest in premarital counseling before becoming married and wind up paying the price. Usually problems start out small and grow over time. Without proper counseling help and guidance, marriages can end up in divorce.

In premarital counseling, together we can build upon your strengths, identify any bumps and find more effective ways of coping with couple stress. I guide you through very simple, yet effective ways to address problem situations that might arise so that they don’t become major issues down the road.

WHY PREMARITAL COUNSELING? IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH US?

You may believe that premarital counseling is only for couples who are struggling and their relationship is in trouble, but let me assure you that is not the case.

Studies have shown that couples who participate in a premarital program can reduce their risk of divorce to about 30% and it can have a significant positive impact on the marital relationship. The current divorce rate is about 50%. Pre-marital counseling gives your relationship a good head start, builds communication and conflict resolution skills and helps you develop better habits going forward. It is a wise investment in future success.

HOW PREMARITAL COUNSELING WORKS

1. ASSESSMENT SESSION

Each partner uses an online premarital assessment (GOTTMAN ASSESSMENT, PREPARE, FOCCUS or RELATE) independently. These assessments provide a platform to discuss many different topics such as money, family of origin and in-law issues, personality differences, communication styles, conflict resolution skills and expectations for having a family and raising children. Special interest areas are identified suggesting further discussion.

2. SKILL BUILDING SESSIONS

We will meet for four to six sessions to review your responses to your online premarital assessment, discuss any additional issues or concerns you may have. You will learn how to handle potential problematic situations that may arise in the future.

You can prevent small issues and possible pitfalls from becoming major obstacles.
If you are concerned about any problems bubbling under the surface or are worried about the uncertainty of maintaining a successful long term future relationship, I urge you to make a small investment of time, energy and money now. The benefits of a smooth transition into your new life ahead are worth it!