Premarital Counseling – The Gift For A Lifetime of Happiness
Research shows: Couples who underwent premarital counseling before their wedding had a 30% higher marital success rate than those who did not.
Premarital counseling lets you begin your happily ever after with help from the marital experts. Prepare for the marriage not just the wedding. Engagement counseling is the best investment in your marriage during a season of life filled with the most flexibility you will ever have.
(Parents – this is the best wedding gift you can give your children!)
Staying Happy Takes Work
Are you happy now? Sustaining happiness takes work! When we fall in love our needs seem to be met magically without even having to ask. It often feels like we’ve known this person all our lives because there is such a perfect match. But healthy communication patterns, financial management, basic erotic tasks of early marriage may not be quite as automatic. Let us help you set up the relationship just like you are setting up your household.
Families of Origin Provide the Pattern – Analyze Your Own and Your Partner’s with a Neutral Counselor
Most couples have only seen one marriage up close – their parents. Wonderful or difficult – the legacy from our parent’s relationship(s) leaves a map in our heads about intimacy. Unexamined – we are destined to repeat history. You might also look at your fiance’s family and ask yourself – “Is this the model I want for my marriage and family?”
You may have come from a secure family that filled you with their confidence, love, affection and ability to communicate. Marriage will be easier for you because what you’ve lived in childhood becomes a blueprint for secure adult romantic commitment.
Most families have some difficulties, however, and it isn’t disloyal to analyze them closely to improve your pending marriage.
Perhaps, there were serious difficulties though. Maybe you or your partner have families that bicker. They might have divorced and you do feel a little anxious about knowing how to prevent that yourself. You’ve seen your parents and their spouses or partners criticize and withdraw from conflict. Maybe one parent had an affair. Maybe they seem disconnected, haven’t talked in ages or feel too enmeshed, controlling or dependent. Unfortunately, these models of marriage, too, will now emerge unconsciously as your map. Premarital counseling can break toxic relational legacies.
Struggling Already in Your Relationship?
If you’re already having struggles it doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t marry – let us help! Don’t despair, many couples have conflict even before the altar. Let us help you get things right so you can feel confident and strong in your relationship.
Premarital Counseling Helps You Chart a Better Course
Let us help you improve or even change the course of your internal map. As premarital counselors we know the ideal map that leads you on a path of love, intimacy, connection, erotic sex, deep communication, fair fighting and good negotiation skills. We share with you the important scientifically-researched theory of attachment to help you become secure with your partner.
We’ve been doing premarital counseling for over 29 years to help couples start off right and end up happy. Our therapists have seen thousands of couples – we know what works and what doesn’t.
What To Expect From Premarital Counseling
- Learn healthy communication patterns
- Commit to fair fighting
- Discuss practical chores and responsibilities
- Figure out your money
- Set boundaries for extended family and friends
- Discover your inner map for marriage
- Talk openly about sexuality
What is Required in Premarital Counseling
- Six sessions with our marital experts! We discuss expectations, families of origin, finances, sex, in-laws, communication and conflict resolution.
- Take the PREPARE/ENRICH inventory (an empirical test) to more deeply help you understand your strengths and challenges. Our expert premarital counselors will interpret this to show you your strengths and challenges.
* We also offer Faith-based Christian Premarital Counseling available with our https://awakeningscenter.org/christian-counseling/Christian counselors.
