In this day and age I think we are all far more aware love is not enough and, as a result, it is important to be sure that all of the contributing factors in a relationship add up before taking the plunge into marriage. With UK divorce rates at 42% it’s no wonder that more couples are heading into pre-marital therapy to create solid foundations for a lifetime of happiness.

What is pre-marital therapy?

Pre-marital counselling is, in short, counselling to help couples prepare for marriage. With the use of an impartial third party, couples can explore and identify any weaknesses in their relationship that could potentially lead to problems, or even divorce, in the future.

Pre-marital counselling covers topics such as communication, finances, children and parenting, roles and responsibilities, sex, family, and beliefs and values. It gives couples at the opportunity to lay all of their cards on the table so they can go into marriage with their eyes wide open and hopefully, fully equipped to battle any storms.

What happens during the sessions?

Couples can often feel nervous attending therapy and yet there is nothing at all to fear. During your first pre-marital therapy session your counsellor will take the time to get to know you as a couple asking questions such as how did you get together? When did you decide to get married? What do you love about each other? Have you endured any tough times together as a couple?

This allows your counsellor to get an idea of where your strengths and weaknesses as a couple lie, and therefore they are able to really offer support where you need it the most, and champion your strengths to celebrate the relationship you share.

Over subsequent therapy sessions your counsellor will set an agenda for you to address all areas of your life for example your hopes for parenting and children, career paths, extended family involvement, and expected roles and responsibilities.

Often during counselling sessions issues and topics arise and the job of your counsellor is to allow you to explore these, encourage you to resolve any disputes, and by the end of your counselling session, hopefully, emerge even stronger.

Why should I have pre-marital therapy?

Research has shown that couples who undergo pre-marital therapy are 30% less likely to divorce and so for that reason alone, it’s definitely worthwhile. Pre-marital therapy is the perfect opportunity to open the lines of communication with your partner, broach all of the topics and conversations that you may not have felt able to raise previously, and resolve all of those issues before the big day. The problem with many couples of that they only have these conversations after they are married and to suddenly discover that you want very different things in life can ultimately result in a very swift divorce.

Pre-marital therapy is beneficial to each individual, as well as together as a couple. Therapy allows you to learn more about yourself, your own strengths and weaknesses, and opens your eyes to what you can give to a relationship as well as take from it.

You can read most about pre-marital counselling here at Regain.us.

** This is a collaborative post **