Pre-marital counseling is one of the most important investments a starting couple can make. It is now recommended for all couples, regardless of religious affiliation. Pre-marital counseling helps partners develop healthy relationship habits at the outset of a relationship, can help prevent problems, and makes sure two people are prepared to support one another through life together. When this counseling is done by a relationship professional, it can help identify areas that may be somewhat challenging and shore them up before they become issues. The two partners then go into their commitment with a greater knowledge of one another and how to be successful in their relationship.
Pre-marital counseling also introduces partners to the important resource of couple counseling and makes it easy for them to utilize that resource in the future, if needed. One advantage of doing pre-marital counseling with a trained couple therapist is that the couple is then familiar with a particular therapist and is more likely to call for support at life transitions when extra skills and knowledge are needed.
A quality, lifelong relationship requires certain skills that are not readily taught in schools or even modeled in one’s family growing up. Quality pre-marital counseling helps couples develop awareness of healthy relationship and helps impart the necessary skills. The research is clear that couples generally come into couples counseling too late, once problems have created negative feelings for several years, making it difficult to turn around. Partners are wise to engage in counseling early when a relationship is strong, in order to harness that positive feeling to learn and build tools.
Pre-marital counseling typically consists of three, hour-long sessions, but can be extended if desired or on the recommendation of the counselor.
John’s team of therapists are well-versed in pre-marital counseling and offer it via the Presence clinic at www.presencewellness.co