Premarital Counseling

I have seen many clients for couples counseling that I wished had invested in premarital counseling first. Most of us wouldn’t hesitate investing in what was meaningful to us, but a large percentage of couples still don’t invest in their relationship by participating in some form of premarital counseling. Studies indicate that overall, married couples who participate in premarital counseling have greater marital satisfaction, better communication skills and a lower divorce rate than married couples who don’t go through premarital counseling.

Premarital counseling affords a couple the opportunity to learn effective communication skills, understand each other better and uncover differences that weren’t seen prior to the premarital work. It’s the hidden differences and lack of communication skills which create great conflict in many couples. Often couples who are ready to marry are still in their “honeymoon phase” and get married without taking the time to see what differences exist under the blanket of happiness they feel. This is the perfect time to take a look at possible pitfalls of the future and tackle them before they become a problem! To ensure that strong happiness and deep satisfaction continues after the honeymoon phase ends, you may want to consider investing in premarital counseling.

How Does Premarital Counseling Work?

I use the PREPARE-ENRICH premarital counseling program. It’s very easy for clients and requires each couple to complete individual online assessments which examine a variety of relationship, personality and family factors. After the assessments are completed by both individuals, a session is held and the couple is given a customized report outlining the assessment results. A Couples’ Workbook is given to each person to work on between sessions. Premarital counseling is usually completed in 3 sessions.

What Is PREPARE-ENRICH?

PREPARE-ENRICH is a program that examines major relationship issues experienced by most couples. It has high levels of reliability and validity and is used as the foundation for a lot of research. Counselors who administer PREPARE-ENRICH must be formally trained. During premarital sessions, the assessment results are discussed and growth areas explored in more detail.

The 6 main goals of PREPARE-ENRICH are to:

• Explore relationship strengths & growth areas
• Learn assertiveness & active listening skills
• Learn how to resolve conflict
• Help couples discuss their Family of Origin
• Help couples with financial planning & budgeting
• Focus on personal, couple and family goals

How Much Does Premarital Counseling Cost?

Premarital counseling is $125 per session and this includes the Couples’ Workbook and a customized report based on the online assessment. Normally, premarital counseling is completed in 3 sessions.