Unfortunately, it’s common for couples to say “I do,” without having many of the big conversations. This can lead to conflict when these issues inevitably arise. Contrary to popular belief premarital counseling is not solely for the religious. Anyone planning on getting married can really benefit by participating in this form of therapy before the big day.
During the session, you’ll each discuss how you feel about the other, your life ambitions, and how you feel about common issues that will undoubtedly arise at some point in your marriage. Doing this will allow you to understand areas where you might be weak and get advice from a licensed therapist on how to work on communicating these differences and create comprises to deal with them positively.
Common topics you’ll probably address in a premarital counseling session include:
- Finances
- Life Goals
- Past Mistakes
- Personal Beliefs & Values
- Decision Making
- Having Kids & How to Raise Them
- Household Chores
- Spirituality or Religion
- Dealing with Anger & Fighting
- Sex, Love Language, & Time Preferred Spent Together
While love is an important factor when getting married, it is also smart to acknowledge the future. Premarital counseling will allow you both to be on the same page now and set real expectations of what’s to come. If one or both of you has a vision of what your life together will look like, it is important to discuss it now. A counselor will teach you the skills and provide you with the strategies to overcome possible disagreements in a healthy way. This will help you to avoid negative feelings of resentment and dealing with those emotions by lashing out, avoiding, or taking other toxic approaches that couples commonly use to deal with conflict.
If you’d like to schedule a premarital counseling session with Kent Brand, call him today at (256) 766-5707. You can also text him at (256) 335-3997 or email directly at KentRoyBrand@aol.com.
Resources:
- “Questions Engaged Couples Should Discuss Before Marriage” by Sheri Stritof. Retrieved at The Spruce
- “Premarital Counseling & 7 Reasons Why You Should Do It” by Racheal Tasker. Retrieved at Guide Doc
- “Premarital Counseling”. Retrieved at Mayo Clinic
- “Premarital Counseling Questions: What to Expect in Premarital Counseling” by Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby. Retrieved at Growing Self
- Image via Brooke Cagle at Unsplash