Pre-Marital Counseling
Getting married or establishing a long term commitment with your partner is a big step, and while there is a lot of joy and excitement surrounding this time, it’s important to work together with your partner to create a solid foundation for a positive relationship. When you work with a therapist at Manatee Associates of Counseling & Assessment in Palmetto, FL for premarital counseling, we can help you build the relationship foundation and create a partnership that lasts.
Why Would I Consider Premarital Counseling?
Some people schedule premarital counseling at the request of their church. In some areas, a few premarital counseling sessions are a requirement of the local authorities before issuing a marriage certificate. Others want to tackle relationship issues and go through some of the big conflict areas before they tie the knot. Whatever reason brings you to our office for pre-marriage therapy, our goal is to help you and your partner create a fulfilling partnership that will flourish for the long haul. We know adding one more thing to your wedding to do list may seem a little overwhelming, but premarital counseling can be very beneficial, offering solutions to common marriage conflicts like:
- Bickering or unresolved arguments that seem to keep coming up
- Learning to communicate (speaking AND listening) with empathy and love
- Establishing shared values while recognizing individual beliefs
- Identifying areas where future conflicts may arise and discussing ways to navigate these issues
- Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries
- Ensuring that both partners are willing and able to compromise to achieve shared goals
- Discussing the numbers – we know finances can be difficult to discuss, but this is why we need to talk about it
- Talking about intimacy (physical and emotional) and what your expectations are
- Developing skills to resolve conflict in healthy ways
- Defining marital roles and expectations for each other
- Planning for the future – where do you want to live, how many kids do you want to have, what are your career goals, etc.
What Happens During Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling is all about working together to establish goals, assign roles in achieving these goals, and learn how to work through conflicts that arise as you make progress. During sessions, we’ll talk through areas of concern that you are already aware of, and we’ll also discuss some of the high conflict concerns that arise during long term relationships. Individual sessions may be centered around one conflict or discussing a wide range of topics like what your goals are for the future. Through each discussion, you’ll be learning how to communicate effectively with your partner and taking the time to create a solid foundation to build your relationship on. The skills you learn during premarital counseling will be valuable for you and your partner throughout your marriage.
Let’s Get Started!
We know it can be intimidating to take this next step to schedule an appointment with our team. You may have had negative experiences with therapy in the past, you may be worried about stigma surrounding counseling, or you may just be worried. We get it. The good news is we can help you put some of those worries aside and start feeling like yourself again. When you’re ready, the Manatee Associates of Counseling & Assessment team is here for you.