Whether as recommended and in many cases, required, by your pastor or church, or just as something you personally feel would be helpful as you align your life with someone else – for life; pre-marital counseling can be very beneficial. 

What Is Premarital Counseling?

Premarital counseling is a form a therapy that occurs before marriage. Typically, premarital counselors will ask couples to dig deep and revisit previous impressions they’ve formed about marriage prior to tying the knot. Here are a few subjects that will be a part of most pre-marital counseling: 

1. You’ll define your marriage expectations and role beliefs. 

You may have one idea of what marriage looks like and what it means to be a partner, and yet be blissfully unaware that your soon-to-be spouse feels very differently. 

2. You’ll analyze how your past affects your future. 

To some degree, we’re all products of our environment and experiences. 

3. You’ll come up with a plan for resolving conflicts. 

In marriage counseling, you’ll work with a therapist to foster communication and conflict resolution skills you can carry with you.

4. You’ll get real about money. 

We all know that money has a way of ruining marriages. So, to prevent future financial fights, you’ll lay out all your money thoughts in premarital counseling. There should be no secrets or shame around money in a healthy marriage.

5. You’ll speak about sex. 

While it might be uncomfortable to discuss your sex life in front of a total stranger, helping understand the general physiological and emotional gender differences, as well as the ones specific to [you], opens the door to be able to develop a healthy physical relationship.

6. You’ll talk about talking. 

Open and direct communication are key ingredients in any union, especially if you and your partner have different ways of communicating. Premarital counseling will be advantageous in helping you discover your styles and how they could affect your marriage. 

7. You’ll discuss your feelings on children. 

Amazingly, many couples never really talk about having children. Not only could you uncover a potential deal-breaker in counseling, but it’s also important to talk about how many [children you want], parenting styles, extended family involvement, and more.

Just remember, helping couples understand and define the issues leaves them, and their marriage, better prepared.