Congratulations! You're engaged!
Now what?
Invest in your future - premarital counseling in the Indianapolis area
You might find yourself putting together Pinterest boards and finding the perfect venue…
from the flowers to the dress there are so many decisions….
you envision the beautiful life the two of you will share together- for better or worse…
but what happens when 'worse' inevitably arises?
Difficult conversations, conflicts, and in-laws are a part of married life..
real life awaits right after the honeymoon.
but here’s the good news:
You can take steps now to have a thriving marriage for decades to come...
and I’ve got the tools, knowledge and know-how to help you do that!
A thriving life together starts today!
Here's how pre-marriage counseling will benefit your relationship:
When you start your marriage with strong and effective communication skills, you can better understand and appreciate your partner’s beliefs, values, expectations, motivations, and priorities.
Every relationship has highs and lows. Premarital counseling will help you set realistic expectations and provide you with the tools you need when difficulties arise.
Every healthy relationship encounters disagreements! Partners with strong conflict resolution skills more likely to have long-lasting and happier marriages. You’ll gain insights and tools to handle your inevitable disagreements in a healthy way.
When you start your marriage with strong and effective communication skills, you can better understand and appreciate your partner’s beliefs, values, expectations, motivations, and priorities.
Every relationship has highs and lows. Premarital counseling will help you set realistic expectations and provide you with the tools you need when difficulties arise.
Every healthy relationship encounters disagreements! Partners with strong conflict resolution skills more likely to have long-lasting and happier marriages. You’ll gain insights and tools to handle your inevitable disagreements in a healthy way.
Here's some research that demonstrates the value of premarital counseling:
- A 2012 study found that couples who engaged in premarital counseling reported higher levels of satisfaction in their relationship.
- Another research study found that couples who participate in premarital counseling have a 30% higher marital success rate than couples who did not.
- A 2018 study revealed that partners who considered seeking therapy were more likely to follow through with participation if they had received premarital education.
FAQs
Money is probably one of the biggest reasons many people don’t commit to premarital counseling. It can be expensive… but so is a wedding dress, and venue, flowers, catering, etc. However, I also know that premarital counseling is a cheaper alternative to a divorce and divorce attorney fees. Plain and simple, premarital counseling is the one thing that gives you a return on your investment when you’re planning a wedding by helping you actually prepare for marriage, making you smart!
Often, the reason is fear. Many couples fear that talking openly about their problems could lead to even greater problems and possibly even the end of their relationship. On the contrary, while it may be scary, addressing issues early in the relationship in a safe and structured environment allows couples to work through their negative feelings before they have a chance to turn into bigger issues.
Here are common comments:
- We learned how to better navigate emotionally charged topics.
- We learned to fight fair.
- We discovered personal issues and we helped each other through the issues.
- We talked about things we had been avoiding because they were uncomfortable topics.
- We got on the same page about expectations we didn’t even realize we had.
It depends on the unique strengths and areas of growth of the couple. Common topics include:
- Beliefs, values, spiritual beliefs
- Finances
- Roles in marriage
- Children
- Setting realistic expectations
- Planning for the future
- Communication skill building
- Conflict resolution
- Overcoming fears
- Uncovering unhealthy patterns and learning new healthier patterns
Williamson, H. C., Hammett, J. F., Ross, J. M., Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (2018). Premarital Education and Later Relationship Help-seeking. Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 32(2), 276–281.
20 Significant Premarital Counseling Statistics. (2017, October 7). HRF.