Premarital Counseling

Have You Considered Premarital Counseling To Strengthen Your Relationship?

Are you in a committed relationship and making plans to marry?

Would you like to feel more confident in this decision and address any lingering uncertainty you may have?

Would you and your partner benefit from learning to express and negotiate your needs and desires within the relationship?

Beginning a marital journey is an exciting time. The life you will build together is filled with limitless possibilities. That is why setting yourself up for a successful relationship is such an important step. Taking a proactive approach, in which you build upon your existing strengths as a couple and don’t necessarily wait for problems to emerge, can make a significant difference in the trajectory of your romantic partnership.

Wedding Planning Can Be Stressful

Even when you’re looking forward to getting married, the pressure of making a long-term commitment in front of friends and family may put a strain on your relationship. This added responsibility can leave you feeling drained and overwhelmed. Perhaps the pressure you’re under is impacting your mood, energy level, or ability to focus on work or other activities. If you are feeling out of balance, it may be negatively affecting how connected you feel with your partner. 

During this hectic time, it’s natural to feel anxious, uncertain, or overwhelmed about the prospect of marriage. Premarital counseling offers an opportunity for you and your partner to have dedicated time to discuss and address these feelings, strengthening your connection and benefiting your relationship in the long term.

Premarital Counseling Is An Investment In Your Future

You might be concerned that seeking counseling before marriage means that "something is wrong," when, in fact, it is a sign of commitment and strength within the relationship. Premarital therapy is a valuable investment in your future life-long because it provides you with a safe and supportive environment in which you can draw upon your strengths as a couple to work through whatever issues you may have. Additionally, it will enable you to create a shared vision for the future so that you have a strong foundation from which to build a healthy marriage.

What To Expect In Premarital Counseling 

Effective communication is essential for any healthy relationship. In therapy sessions with your premarital therapist, you will learn how to communicate more effectively with each other. This may involve learning active listening skills, expressing your needs and feelings clearly and respectfully, and developing strategies for constructively resolving conflicts. We will also explore your individual values and expectations and determine how these align with those of your partner.

Many couples experience challenges and conflicts navigating the transition to a more serious commitment. We will help you explore your expectations associated with marriage—such as intimacy, financial concerns, family planning, division of responsibilities, and how to find common ground in these areas. Working together, you can make decisions about how you want your relationship to be structured to ensure harmony and alignment.

The long-term goal of premarital counseling will be to build a strong and healthy foundation for the relationship. We achieve this by promoting greater intimacy and emotional connection as well as equipping you with the tools and skills to improve communication. 

The Modalities We Use In Premarital Couples Counseling 

In premarital therapy, we use a strength-based approach to help you identify and build upon your individual and collective strengths. By focusing on the positive aspects of your relationship as well as the personal attributes each of you already possesses, you will gain confidence and resilience as you encounter strife or miscommunications within your relationship. By harnessing your strengths, you will have the ability to engage in difficult conversations and navigate challenges with tenacity and ease.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on the emotional bond between partners and allows them to identify and shift negative patterns of interaction. In premarital counseling, EFT can help you understand how your past experiences may be impacting your current relationship and develop more secure attachment styles. You will also learn how to express your emotions more effectively and develop a deeper intimacy with each other.

The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy that emphasizes communication skill-building, conflict resolution, and emotional connection. Your therapist may utilize the Gottman Method to teach you practical skills that can help you reduce conflict or misunderstanding by turning toward each other more consistently.

Through premarital therapy, you can gain a better understanding of yourself and your partner while also learning to navigate whatever disagreements you encounter more effectively. By investing in your relationship before tying the knot, you are setting yourselves up for a stronger, deeply connected, and fulfilling marriage.