Premarital Counseling: Strengthen Your Bond Before You Say ‘I Do’
Set Your Future Together on the Right Path!
You’re busy taking care of all the details of your wedding,
The divorce rate in our country is 50%, but you want to beat the odds and stay married forever.
You and your partner want to be well prepared for the common issues that come up in marriages.
Invest in Your Future Marriage, Not Just Your Wedding.
- Boost Marital Satisfaction: A study in the Journal of Family Psychology found that couples who participated in premarital counseling reported significantly higher levels of marital satisfaction.
- Reduce Divorce Risk: The same study revealed a 30% decrease in the likelihood of divorce over five years for couples who received premarital counseling.
Remember, your wedding lasts a day, but your marriage is meant to last a lifetime. Let’s build a strong foundation for your future together.
During Premarital Counseling, You and Your Partner Will Cover a Variety of Topics Including:
- How to prepare for marriage
- The big topics including money, sex, kids and parenting
- Learning communication and conflict resolution skills: Master the art of active listening and expressing yourselves effectively
- Understanding potential triggers that may come from the way you were raised
- Talking about your personal values and goals
- The art of compromise: Learn to navigate disagreements and find win-win solutions in your relationship
- Discuss holidays, traditions and how you’ll navigate family time with in laws, etc
- How to set up boundaries with each other’s families
- How to keep investing in each other while building careers and families
- Learn how to keep fun, romance and sex in the relationship
- The differences in your temperaments and love languages
- And many more questions and issues that come up
Premarital Counseling: Your Relationship Insurance Policy
- Cost-Effective: While the average wedding costs $12,000-$15,000, premarital counseling is typically only 1-2% of that amount. It’s a small price to pay for long-term relationship security.
- Prevention is Key: Just as you wouldn’t skip health insurance, don’t skip on relationship insurance. Premarital counseling helps you address potential issues before they become major problems.
- Lifelong Benefits: The skills you learn in premarital counseling will serve you throughout your entire marriage, helping you navigate challenges and strengthen your bond year after year.
- Peace of Mind: Enter your marriage with confidence, knowing you’ve taken proactive steps to build a strong, lasting relationship.
Invest in your future together. After all, your relationship is worth far more than any wedding day expense.
How to Get the Most from Premarital Counseling
Here is how you can get the most out of premarital counseling:
- Be open to what you might learn: Even if you don’t think you “need” therapy, or you haven’t been to counseling before, try to keep an open mind.. Many people mistakenly think therapy is only for when things are bad. This is not so! Even professional athletes have coaches. What we know about relationships is learned from what was modeled to us (good or bad), what we see and hear in the media. Counseling can help you discover the best way to strengthen your relationship. We use the evidenced based Gottman Method to show you what works in relationships.
- Celebrate what works in your bond: counseling is not all about finding out what’s wrong. You will also have some fun with temperament assessments, love language assessments, getting to know more about each other. This helps you deepen the connection and learn the tools to keep that alive throughout your marriage.
- Embrace the process: Your therapist isn’t there to judge you or pick apart your relationship. We are here to help you identify weak spots and to help you be the best person you can be for each other.
“We went for premarital counseling, largely to make sure we were making a good decision getting married.
We had already been mindful of some potential barriers in our relationship, but our therapist helped us explore further areas, challenge our assumptions, and reconcile differences we didn’t know existed before.
I highly recommend going, and plan to return for any additional sessions we may need.”
— Michael H
Common Questions and Answers about Premarital Counseling:
Is premarital counseling only people who are getting married?
Actually, no. People who are to move in together or moving to the next stage of committed relationships could also benefit from counseling.
Doesn’t the church do premarital counseling?
Yes, they do but there are differences. This is not spiritual counseling and you are with Master’s Level Therapists who specialize in working with couples. It’s not a problem if you bring your religious beliefs with you but you are also working on many other things that make relationships successful and looking out for destructive patterns.
How long does premarital counseling last?
Our full premarital program can be completed within 12-15 sessions covering everything that you might face, with skills taught through the Gottman Method. If you are looking for a shorter program, we can usually accommodate 6 sessions depending on the couple. Our approach to counseling will be tailored to your unique needs as a couple. We also have a two day premarital retreat to have it happen on the weekend. You can look at our marriage counseling page to see what other issues might come up during therapy.
What factors determine the ideal length of a premarital counseling program?
Several factors influence the ideal length of a program:
- The couple’s relationship history and current dynamics
- The complexity of issues that need addressing
- The couple’s availability and commitment to the process
- Specific goals the couple wants to achieve
- Any time constraints, such as an approaching wedding date
We tailor our programs to meet your unique needs, ensuring you get the most value from your premarital counseling experience. Whether you opt for our standard program or a customized approach, we’re committed to helping you build a strong foundation for your marriage.
What are some common challenges couples face during premarital counseling?
Some couples find it challenging to open up about sensitive topics like finances, intimacy, or family planning. Others might struggle with differing expectations or values that surface during counseling. It’s also common for couples to feel uncomfortable discussing potential conflicts. Remember, these challenges are normal and part of the process. Our skilled therapists are here to guide you through these conversations in a safe, supportive environment.
What if one of both of us have been married before?
Even if you’ve been married before, it’s still beneficial to get premarital counseling for reassurance. If you’ve been married before and it ended badly, you may be afraid. Many people notice destructive patterns that they have in relationships and will come up again if those patterns are not addressed. If we identify a big issue, it doesn’t mean that you’re relationship is doomed…..we just know what needs to be worked on. Counseling is especially important if one or both of you have children from a previous relationship. Blending families comes with its own set of issues, and counseling can help solve these issues before they become big problems.
Begin Premarital Counseling in the Sacramento Area:
You want your marriage to last forever, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, till death do you part. So why not invest in your future and get premarital counseling? Our therapists would love to help you build a solid foundation for a healthy relationship at our counseling centers in Fair Oaks, CA, Roseville, CA or during online therapy. To get started, follow these steps:
- Reach out to the Relationship Therapy Center. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about in-person or online premarital counseling.
- Make an appointment to meet with one of our skilled couples counselors.
- Begin counseling and create a bond with your partner that will last the test of time.
Other Services offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:
In addition to premarital counseling, Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones heal and grow.
Reach out to start your healing journey today