Pre-Marital Counseling: How it Works

Are you considering pre-marital counseling to get your marriage off to a healthy start? I am happy to help you learn research-based skills so you can become a master of marriage.

WeddingDress GaborFromHungary Morguefile FreeThe Assessment Process

The assessment phase consists of four sessions. We will have an initial joint session, then two individual sessions, and then a joint session where I provide a summary of the assessment phase. For the remainder of our work together, we’ll have joint sessions.

I will ask for you to take the online Gottman Relationship Checkup. This tool gives us a detailed analysis of your relationship strengths and challenges.

The Pre-marital Counseling Process

I’ll be using a combination of two counseling theories and techniques:  Gottman Couple Therapy and Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy.

Research proves that these approaches help couples build (or rebuild) the bonds of love and connection. 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements.

The number of sessions depends on your current skill level as a couple. You can anticipate a minimum of eight sessions.

Here’s a metaphor: If you want to dance well together, each of you needs to learn your individual steps, and you also need to know how to move gracefully together across the dance floor. You also need to know how to help your partner regain balance when he or she stumbles. You need to stay on the dance floor when the learning gets tough instead of walking away.

Here’s the thing to keep in mind. No matter what the topic that may be challenging for you … communication, conflict management, division of chores, parenting, in-laws, work-life balance … I will teach you skills to maintain a strong emotional bond. Learning how to sustain this emotional bond during conflicts is the most important thing you must learn as a couple. If you do not know how to sustain your emotional bond, your marriage will deteriorate.

Here are resources that will help get your marriage off to a solid start.

Read this article: 10 Tips to Sustain Emotional Intimacy During Conflicts

Click here to watch my YouTube Video, based on John Gottman’s work: “Four Horsemen: Don’t let them ruin your marriage.”

Click here for my blog articles on marriage.

Click here for Marriage Testimonials

 

Contact Information

Benita A. Esposito, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina. Fill out the questionnaire and request a complimentary 10-minute phone Discovery Call: Click here to email me.

Couples Counseling and Individual Psychotherapy are available in Atlanta and Blairsville, Georgia … and all over Georgia and North Carolina.

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