Premarital Counseling
GETTING MARRIED DOESN'T COME WITH A GUIDEBOOK.
Taking the next step in a relationship can be scary. The purpose of premarital counseling is usually to help couples gain the skills they need for a healthy and loving marriage. There are a lot of questions couples have to answer when getting married and starting a family…
We’re happy and want to take the next step, but what if changing things ends up changing…everything?
What happens if creating the home of our dreams isn’t a dream?
Where do we want to live?
Do we want children?
What are our expectations about intimacy?
How are we going to handle our finances?
How can we know if we’re destined to last a lifetime?
With so many questions in play, emotions can run high.
It’s natural if you’re feeling anxious about spending the rest of your life with one person. This will be the last relationship you enter; the prospect of that alone can be overwhelming.
You might also feel unprepared for the many challenges that lie ahead, raising children, buying a home, blending your families, and truly integrating someone into all the intimate parts of your life.
And planning a wedding can leave anyone feeling overwhelmed. Booking a venue, finding the best florist, making a guest list, sending invitations, and of course, we can’t forget the perfect dress.
Here’s what we’ll do together (and how it will help)…
YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT BOTH THE CHALLENGES AND JOYS OF MARRIAGE.
You and your partner will identify and analyze one another’s love languages, so you can truly know how to give love to each other and how you each want to be loved.
You will learn the importance of setting aside designated quality time with each other. As life gets busy, it will be very easy to fall into a coexisting pattern. Therefore, creating a pattern of consciously making time for each other will help avoid this.
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You will learn vital communication and conflict resolution skills that will set the foundation for a strong union.
You’ll have a safe space where you and your partner can be open and honest with each other.
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This is how you’ll REALLY get to know each other – by exploring sensitive topics such as finances, intimacy, family involvement, religion, and others. Understanding each other’s perspectives will lead to a stable and “aware” marriage that can weather the pressures of day-to-day married living.
You and your partner will learn fair fighting strategies, such as outlining rules of engagement during arguments.
You will prepare points that each person would like respected for arguments to not get out of line with my help.
You will also learn how to debrief with one another after a big blow-up, so issues are resolved and not simply swept under the rug only to come up during another fight.
We firmly believe that a couple’s ability to resolve conflicts through understanding and compromise will dictate the longevity of their relationship. In a warm and supportive environment, we will give you an experience of respect, expertise, and support, which will help you build the foundation for a trusting and fulfilling union with the person you love.
SO THE BIG QUESTION IS...DOES IT WORK?
Does participating in counseling before getting married really affect the quality and sustainability of the marriage?
Research shows that premarital counseling has a positive effect on the risk of divorce. In a study by Stanley, Amato, Johnson, and Markman (2006), researchers found a significant positive correlation between premarital counseling and higher marital quality levels.
Researchers also found a significant correlation between premarital counseling and lower marital conflict levels and lower levels of divorce.