Premarital Counseling in Saint Paul
Premarital counseling is a great opportunity for you and your partner to set goals and establish effective communication and conflict resolution tools to support each other throughout your lifelong relationship. I am a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator. Prepare/Enrich is a premarital assessment tool that guides my work with couples who are at any stage in preparing for marriage. Premarital Counseling is typically completed in 5-8 sessions, and you will complete an assessment prior to our first meeting in order to capitalize on our time together. I work with individuals who are 18+ for premarital counseling. If you’re interested in starting premarital counseling, call to schedule your first session in our Saint Paul practice. I look forward to working with you and your partner to prepare for the journey of marriage.
Should I Consider Premarital Counseling?
Research indicates that partners who receive premarital counseling are more likely to have a stronger and more successful marriage. The Prepare/Enrich (P/E) assessment and premarital counseling method helps couples with a number of marriage-related issues before they ever tie the knot, including:
Developing a financial plan you can both live with.
Ensuring open and honest communication.
Discussing spiritual, ethical, and moral beliefs and values.
Determining the most beneficial marriage roles for each partner.
Exploring sex and sexuality openly.
Planning for children and parenting.
Creating harmonious relationships with the in-laws.
Understanding decision making processes and planning for compromise.
Handling anger and hurt feelings.
Scheduling quality time together – and apart.
What Happens During Premarital Counseling?
Your P/E premarital counseling plan will be customized to your unique relationship needs and marriage time line. It all starts when you take the P/E assessment questionnaire. These questions are geared toward exposing areas where you and your partner are too idealistic, focused planning for a successful relationship, determining how you and your will handle life challenges, and building confidence in your relationship. Following the assessment, you’ll schedule an initial appointment where we can review the P/E report, discuss goals, and plan your premarital counseling sessions. After that, we may use a variety of therapy techniques in the office, and I may even assign you individual and couples “homework” between sessions.
What Results Should I Expect from Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling is a simple way to ensure you and your future spouse are on the same page before entering into marriage. Numerous studies indicate that premarital counseling can significantly decrease divorce rates, and sets the stage for longer lasting, fulfilling partnerships.