Premarital counseling in Farmington Hills, MI. marriage preparation

Why is Premarital Counseling Beneficial?

Deciding to get married is one of the biggest decisions that people face and premarital counseling is a great way to start your marriage off on the right track. For those who are serious about fulfilling the needs of their loved one and making their marriage last, premarital counseling should be a priority. The decision to spend the rest of your life with someone can be an overwhelming thought, which is exactly why couples should not enter into a marriage without being completely prepared. Couples in today’s society face even higher demands than ever before and they seem to have less support. Managing dual careers and raising children at the same time requires that couples have a strong relationship which includes; well-established abilities of communication, competence of conflict resolution, and the facility to set goals together. Every advantage is needed for couples to survive in today’s marriages.

Click Here to read More!

Comprehensive research on the effectiveness of premarital counseling has shown that couples who go through premarital counseling gain a 30% increase in overall relationship quality and interpersonal skills (Carroll & Doherty, 2003). The same study also showed that the positive effects of premarital counseling can happen immediately within the relationship.

The divorce statistics in Michigan are especially shocking. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health the percentage of divorce in 2005 was 57%. The tri-county area involving Oakland County, Macomb County, and Wayne County reached a 60% divorce rate in 2005. Those statistics clearly show that there is a need for extensive marriage preparation. Those who are serious about making a marriage work should seek premarital counseling rather than going into marriage blindfolded and uninformed. For more divorce and marriage statistics click here.

What My Premarital Counseling Program Entails:

My premarital counseling program involves counseling couples for approximately 8-10 sessions depending on the nature of the couple. Although I cover the same topics with every couple, I do not believe in running each program exactly the same for each couple. My approach involves customizing the program to focus on the areas that the couple needs the most assistance in. Areas of discussion include but are not limited to:

Communication
Intimacy & Sexuality
Conflict Resolution
Expectations
Religious Compatibility
Finances & Budgeting
Goals
Children & Parenting
Roles in the Marriage
Family Origins

Click Here to learn more about my premarital program!

Michigan House Bill 5613 mandates that couples are required to complete some sort of premarital counseling before getting married. Going through a comprehensive premarital program conducted by a trained professional, such as myself, has several advantages over the alternatives of going to group sessions or to a one-time and all-encompassing class or workshop. Listed below are a few reasons why going through the comprehensive premarital program that I designed is more advantageous.

When I conduct premarital counseling, I customize the sessions to fit the needs of each couple. It does not have the concept of “one-course-helps-all”. Each couple has their own unique problems and I try to address those. However, I do make sure to discuss all issues relevant to marriage preparation with each couple.
If you are truly serious about preparing for marriage, then it is imperative to have an environment that provides you with safety and confidentiality. It can be very uncomfortable discussing issues of intimacy, sexuality, or finances in front of a group or a religious leader. My office setting provides a relaxing and confidential environment that is conducive to marriage preparation.
I offer a comprehensive approach in marriage preparation. My goal is to have couples enter into marriage with the smallest amount of anxiety and apprehension that is possible. This can only be accomplished by getting to know the couple on a personal level, covering a broad range of topics, and asking a multitude of difficult questions and processing them.

My approach to premarital counseling is based on the philosophy that many couples enter into a marriage with an unwritten marriage contract. This means that couples make a lot of assumptions about what to expect from each other and from the marriage. Making assumptions is a recipe for disaster when it comes to marriage. I strive to take the guesswork out of the relationship so that the couple does not have to make any assumptions. The most appropriate time to do this is before marriage so the couple has time to adjust and compromise.

Premarital Counseling Can Help You Learn To:

Reduce stress in the pre-wedding period.
Prevent negative relationship patterns before they become established.
Communicate as a couple more effectively.
Respect each other.
Maintain your commitment to each other.
Identify and resolve issues of conflict.
Set Boundaries.
Protect your friendship.