Marriage Counseling
When should I consider premarital counseling?
If you are in a committed relationship and the topic of marriage has come up for the 2 of you, then it is never too early to start premarital counseling. In fact, the sooner, the better. Couples in the past have found it to be helpful to start premarital counseling anywhere from 6-12 months prior to getting married. Whether you are officially engaged, or working toward the engagement stage of the relationship, premarital counseling can help both of you work on targeted relationship goals, in preparation for getting married.
When should I consider marriage counseling?
It is never too early to start the marriage counseling process. Most couples wait until tensions rise in the relationship before coming into the counseling office. However, the truth is that marriage counseling is more than just about working on resolving conflict and communication in the marriage. It is also about helping both partners in a marriage develop the tools that can be used for the rest of their lives.
How long does marriage counseling last?
An average marriage counseling session typically lasts between 54-60 minutes. The length of time that it takes to complete the entire marriage counseling process may vary from couple to couple and is dependent on the relationship goals that the both of you want to achieve. In the beginning of the process, couples engage in marriage counseling sessions once per week. Over time, the frequency of visits gradually reduce to once every two weeks, and eventually once per month, until all therapy goals are fully accomplished. On average, it takes about 6-12 months for couples to complete the entire marriage counseling process. Again, this is a rough estimate average and some couples takes more or less time than this depending on the nature and intensity of the marriage counseling goals that you hope to achieve.
What types of issues are addressed in marriage counseling?
In any committed relationship, there are so many variables that can disrupt and interfere with the potential for both people to experience security. Most couples desire to stay married, but struggle to stay committed in the relationship due to some of the following common issues:
- Communication and Conflict resolution issues
- Setting firm boundaries with family members
- A history of infidelity
- Pornography addictions or history of other addictive behaviors
- Intimacy issues
- Sexual trauma
- Life transitions
- Agreeing on parenting/disciplinary skills
If any of these issues sound like they apply to you, then you may want to consider pursuing marriage counseling.
What is the purpose of marriage counseling?
The purpose of marriage counseling is to provide couples with the necessary tools to live out healthy and secure marriages! No two couples are alike, and because of this, we work hard to tailor an approach to marriage counseling that is helpful and effective for you and your significant other. Some things that you can expect to get from marriage counseling are:
- Strategies for improving communication
- Techniques for improving conflict resolution skills
- Understanding the root causes of and finding victory over addictive behaviors
- Improving intimacy
- Exploring strategies for increasing sexual intimacy
- Rebuilding trust following a history of infidelity
- Strategies for setting firm boundaries with in-laws
- Understanding unhealthy generational family patterns and breaking out of these cycles
- Being on the same page in terms of a mission and vision statement for marriage
- Figuring out whether or not to continue the relationship
My partner and I are ready to begin marriage counseling together. What’s next?
Irene Anderson is our primary marriage counselor on site and would love to work with you! If you are interested in beginning the marriage counseling process today, click here to schedule a consultation with Irene Anderson today.