Premarital counseling has been stereotyped over the years as something with a religious affiliation. While it’s true that many churches and religions require or recommend it, it has become increasingly popular as a guidance tool for couples of all backgrounds.
There are many benefits to premarital counseling. Agreeing to go to sessions together is a great way to get your marriage off on the right foot.
You’re committing your life to someone. While you might think you know everything about that person, counseling can help you both to improve your skills as individuals and as a couple. It will open up areas of your lives that you may not have known about before.
Every couple wants their marriage to last. While there are no guarantees in life, premarital counseling can give you the personal tools needed to strengthen your marriage before it starts and to help it remain strong through the years.
So, how can premarital counseling help you to create a healthy marriage?
It Builds Communication Skills
You may have heard before that communication is one of the major keys to any successful relationship. There is a lot of truth to that. Unfortunately, so many couples lack the skills to communicate effectively.
Working with a counselor can help you to boost your communication skills as a couple. They are a neutral party that can take a look at how you both communicate and make suggestions for improvements.
Everyone communicates and understands things differently. Being able to recognize how your partner communicates will make it easier for you to understand them, and vice versa. Knowing these communication styles can help you to avoid arguments in your marriage and work things out more peacefully and effectively.
It Allows You to Clear the Air
You may not think there are any underlying issues between you and your partner. But premarital counseling can bring any differing opinions to the surface. It can also help you to address smaller issues before they become bigger.
You might not agree with each other about everything in the future. Have you talked about having kids or where you want to live? Discussing those things with a counselor can give you both a neutral perspective and an opportunity to talk about those big decisions in a productive setting.
You May Learn Something New About Yourself
You will probably go into premarital counseling thinking you’ll grow as a couple. While that’s true, it’s important to remember that you’re a crucial part of the equation. When you’re open and honest within your sessions, you may start to learn things about yourself that you didn’t fully realize before.
A good premarital counselor can encourage both you and your partner to discuss specific thoughts and feelings. As a result, you might start bringing up things about yourself that you’ve never shared before. (Maybe you’ve never even realized them before!) Not only will that help to make your bond with your partner stronger, but it can make you more confident in who you are as an individual.
This can be a time of self-discovery just as much as it can be a time of learning more about your partner.
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If you’re getting married soon or you know it’s something you want to do in the future, consider premarital counseling before taking that trip down the aisle. It can help you to be more prepared for a lifelong commitment. Loving your partner is important. But having the tools to communicate and work through life’s ups and downs together is also a huge aspect of marriage. Counseling can help you learn how to do that.
Feel free to contact me for more information or to set up a premarital counseling session.
