According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 40-50% of first marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate for second marriages is even higher with nearly 60-67% failing.

Premarital counseling is associated with lower divorce rates, and less relationship conflict.

Marriage is a huge commitment and choosing a life partner that will endure the test of time is important.

Most relationships are happy in the beginning, when things are new you might not be aware of compatibility issues that may surface as the relationship matures.

No two people are alike but finding a partner that holds similar beliefs and values as you do can lead to a long, happy marriage. Small differences are usually not the cause of divorce, most often it is the larger issues that cause a relationship to fail.

Attending premarital counseling with a qualified, professional can help you determine if the person you are considering marrying will be a good fit, counseling can bring issues and problems to the surface so that you can consider all of them before making a commitment. You can also learn how to handle conflict and communicate in a way that is healthy and nurturing to the relationship.

Topics to Discuss

A good counselor will help you talk about important topics that all married couples will face, you can also bring your own list of topics that you would like to discuss. Topics can include.

If and when to have children, how many, and parenting values and styles.

How finances will be handled and what financial history each person brings into the marriage.

How each views sex and intimacy.

Religious and political views and beliefs.

Values and morals that are important to each person.

What are your future goals and aspirations.

How will you handle differing opinions and conflicts that arise.

Marriage expectations, discuss roles and responsibilities.

How you view and handle relationships with family members and friends.

What are your career goals and future plans.

Where you will live and what lifestyle do you want.

Previous relationships and existing children.

Reasons to Attend Counseling

Learn how to effectively communicate.

Learn how to deal with problems that will arise and how to resolve conflicts.

Put a financial plan in place so there are no surprises after the marriage.

Bring everything out in the open and discuss difficult topics prior to marriage.

Learn more about your partner, a third party can ask questions and open lines of communication that you may not have thought about or discussed before. Open communication prior to marriage helps to develop a stronger bond and increase trust with your partner.

Reduces the risk of divorce.

A greater understanding of the areas of your relationship that are already strong and others that may need additional work.

People often don’t think about everything they need to discuss before marriage, a counselor is trained to bring up and address important topics. You can think of premarital counseling as a type of insurance that can add to the security and stability of your marriage and ensure you are entering the marriage with a strong foundation.