Pre Marital Counselling

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Premarital counseling is an educational and psychotherapeutic process where a couple accesses their relationship strengths and challenges. Premarital counseling is most beneficial for couples just prior to making a more serious commitment to one another, but can also be useful at other points in the relationship process. Marriage preparation gives the couple the opportunity to take the temperature of their relationship and a moment to consider their future together. Couples often consider future plans such as roles within the relationship, plans for children, financial planning, communication styles, and family histories. Premarital counseling is a particularly important and time-sensitive process because research shows that most couples usually begin counseling after problems have already begun. Many couples initiate counseling because they are unhappy with their partner and/or something has gone wrong in their relationship. John Gottman, a leading researcher in the field of marital therapy has concluded that, “the average couple waits six years before seeking help for marital problems” (Gottman, 2004, Self Help & Tips section, para. 2). This statistic is particularly disconcerting considering that some studies suggest that more than 50% of all divorces occur within the first few years of marriage (Carroll & Doherty, 2003). In a meta-analysis of premarital counseling programs, the average person/couple who participated in a premarital counseling program was better off after the program than 79% of the people who did not participate in such a program (Carroll & Doherty, 2003). Why should we go to Premarital Counseling? The goal of marriage is not just to stay together but to have a fulfilling, close relationship that enriches the lives of both partners. Premarital counseling provides the couple with the tools to live their best relationship possible.

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