3 Major Benefits to Premarital Counseling
In honor of Valentine’s day, we’ve dedicated today’s blog to what is often considered one of the most exciting stages in romantic relationship building- preparing for marriage.
Congratulations! Whether you are dating, newly engaged, or coming close to your wedding date, you have found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Whatever age or life stage you are in, the first step in building a strong marriage is setting a strong foundation before the wedding day arrives. While marriage has its share of struggles, it can also be a beautiful thing that brings so much joy when we take the time to be intentional in our relationship.
Benefits of Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling offers couples the ability to look deeper into their relationship, learn things about one another that they might not have known before, and build on healthy skills needed to continually grow a strong relationship. Couples that engage in premarital counseling also have a lower percentage of divorce in the future and report having higher relationship satisfaction. If you are considering seeking premarital counseling, here are three things you can look forward to when you begin sessions.
1. An unbiased friend focused on the growth of you both as individuals, along with your health as a couple.
As a couple entering the premarital counseling journey, you will be met with a loving therapist that will be your designated “cheerleader” for relationship health. A therapist is trained to listen intently to each individual, ask necessary questions to deepen the couple’s relationship with one another, and challenge where needed. A therapist also has the ability to help you identify strengths and growth areas within the relationship that can be worked on together in a safe environment.
2. An opportunity to learn the communication and conflict style of your significant other.
Knowing your significant others communication and conflict style is incredibly important as you pursue a future together. In premarital counseling, you will be given an opportunity to explore each other’s family of origin and how that may have affected the way each of you communicates. For example, if one individual tends to “shut down” during conflict, premarital counseling allows them to discover where that learned communication style may derive from in the family of origin, including how to practice new communication styles that will promote healing conversation.
3. An opportunity build skills and practices into your relationship that will aid in communication, problem-solving, bonding, and loving well.
Ultimately, one of our most important goals is to love and serve our significant other well and in a way that they receive love best. Through premarital counseling, you’ll learn new activities to build a stronger bond with your spouse, explore ways in which the two of you can offer your strengths to solve challenges that may come in life, unite in goals for your future, and promote the wellbeing of your significant other through active listening and encouragement.
Conclusion
In a world that is constantly focused on having the most perfect wedding day, with every last detail discussed and planned for, let’s shift our focus on having the healthiest, most joy-filled marriage through intentional connection and shared purpose.
Written by: Gianna Notarfrancesco
About Gianna:
Gianna desires to come alongside in support and encouragement as you grow through what you are going through. She specializes in working with children, teens, women, and couples, guiding them in discovering healthy practices in their lives by promoting growth in mental health, strength, vulnerability, and unity.