You've made the decision to get engaged. Congratulations! It's exciting, with hopes, dreams, and future plans ahead of you. But it can also be scary. You want this relationship to last and more than that, to grow and thrive!

Sometimes we get swept up in the wedding planning, the parties, and the whirlwind of the new commitment, that the important issues that will impact the relationship are overlooked.

No one wants to become a divorce statistic when they set out to commit to marriage. Yet the divorce rates reveal that often couples are not equipped to manage the challenges they face in marriage. Premarital counseling reduces divorce by 31% and participants in premarital counseling report higher marital satisfaction, higher commitment, and lower conflict.

Premarital counseling is often skipped by busy couples on their way to the altar, but it is an essential preventative, learning tool with a proven track record.

The average wedding planner costs $4000, for a one-day event! For less than a third of that cost, you could invest in your relationship, working with a licensed marriage and family therapist who will guide you and your partner in learning about yourselves, your relationship, and the skills to create a fulfilling relationship to last a lifetime. Premarital education is time well spent investing in your marriage.

Premarital Counseling Framework

During our work we will cover the following topics: 

• Your strengths and areas for improvement

• Communication

• Conflict resolution

• Relationship dynamics (couple & family of origin)

• Personal stress profile

• Personality profile for each person

• The work begins with you each taking the PREPARE/ENRICH online assessment, $35/couple. This will generate a 10-page couple's report with detailed individual and couple information that will guide our work together. Next, you and your partner will attend 8 sessions (typically) where you will receive customized feedback and learn and practice relationship skills.

I am a Certified Facilitator of PREPARE/ENRICH, and more importantly, I am a relationship expert, working predominantly with couples in my practice. This gives me insight into the work of marriage, the common stumbling blocks as well as the most effective strategies and interventions. 

Premarital education makes a wonderful gift to start a marriage off on solid footing. Give me a call to inquire about giving this program as a gift to those you cherish.