WHY PRE MARRIAGE COUNSELING IS ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS YOU CAN MAKE

With half of North American marriages ending in divorce-and countless others less than happy-pre marriage counseling is one of the best investments you can make in your future.

Today’s stressful lifestyle puts tremendous pressure on newlyweds who often struggle trying to balance hectic careers, financial burdens and raising children. Relationship expertise, offered through trained, skill-based pre marriage counseling specialists, can provide you with coping skills that will keep the “happily” in your “ever after.”

Pre marriage counseling is most effective if you take it a year before, or up to six months after your wedding. A fundamental strength of pre marriage counseling is its value in reducing the stress that surrounds the months leading up to your beg day…we’ve all heard those stories about bridezillas and groomgorillas!

By building a realistic picture of what your future holds, pre marriage counseling provides a positive environment in which the potential conflicts be explored and resolved. Pre marriage counseling challenges you to examine how your relationship relates to your families and friends and what possible negative effects these ties can bring.

Pre marriage counseling is available in religious or non-religious settings, in a few sessions or several classes. Ideally, it identifies each partner’s strengths and weaknesses within the relationship to reveal how the weak areas can be bolstered, especially in areas that research has identified with successful marriages.

Couples who embrace what the process can offer and keep their lines of communication open have the greatest chance of benefiting. Key areas of discussion should include: mutual compatibility, personal expectations, critical personality traits within each family, communications skills, conflict resolution, issues relating to sex and intimacy and long-term goals.

QUESTIONS TO ASK AT PREMARITAL COUNSELING

As with any type of counseling, finding a suitable expert means shopping around and asking basic questions, like:

1. Does the program offer a chance to identify relationship strengths and weaknesses and does it offer strategies to help strengthen the weaker areas while dealing with any unresolved issues that arise?
   
   
2. Does the program deal with couples individually, or does it offer group sessions. If it does, how big are the groups?
   
   
3. Would being part of a group encourage you or make you uncomfortable?
   
   
4. How comprehensive and structured are the sessions?
   
   
5. Is the program aimed at recently engaged couples and newlyweds, or does it mix with troubled couples who’ve been married for some time?
   
   
6. Does it suit your relationship and learning styles?
   
   
7. Is the program based on professionally recognized research?

The road to long-term marital happiness will always have a few bumps, but pre marriage counseling can help ensure you steer your relationship in the right direction.

Visit these pages for more information:

Tips For Resolving Marriage Conflict

Can You Save A Marriage? Useful Tips And Suggestions

Marriage Tips Help Solve Marriage Problems

Help Me Save My Marriage:Three Traps To Avoid

Can Free Marriage Counseling Help You? Explore These Basic Techniques

Using Personal Time Management To Get More Time With Your Partner

Free Relationship Advice Can Improve How You Interact

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