Can Premarital Counseling Help Your Relationship?

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What can you expect from premarital counseling? Is this kind of couples counseling even something you and your partner should pursue? A good couples counselor knows that relationships go through hard times and will want to make sure you understand that when you get married these difficulties do not simply go away. Instead of feeling trapped with these difficulties once you get married, however, a counselor will encourage all of his or her couples to begin working on what they can do when difficult situations present themselves. It is important to see premarital counseling as a way of nurturing and growing your relationship so you are more prepared when difficult situations arise. It does not mean your marriage is already doomed or you do not have a good relationship. Instead, premarital counseling will set couples up with the tools they need for a healthy marriage. 

Looking to the Past
Many people do not prefer to do this, but it can be a great way of seeing how your past has influenced your future and what you would like to leave in the past. For example, what impressions do you have of marriage and what formed them? Did your parents have a healthy relationship, or were you left picking sides? By looking at these kinds of past relationships or relationships with other partners, you can see where you would like to go on a different path so that you and your spouse can work well together. 

Determine Your Expectations
Every person has some sort of expectations when it comes to their marriage. Maybe they think their spouse will always cook them dinner, do the chores, or work later hours. Whatever your expectations are, you and your partner need to discuss them before entering into marriage. While there should always be some things left up to mystery when it comes to marriage and your relationship, discussing expectations can help both of you fulfill your roles so you are being a good spouse. 

Resolve Conflict Before it Happens
We have heard it before: why bring up issues that may cause conflict before they ever need to come up? Will that cause you and your partner to stop considering marriage? No! When you have a premarital counselor guiding your sessions, you and your partner can discuss issues you know will be a point of contention. Then, you can work through different ways to deal with this conflict so that you can quickly move past it and focus on ways to build up your relationship.

When it comes to premarital counseling, you and your partner should consider it a way to build your marriage up from a solid starting point so that you can both face conflicts as they come, head-on. Go to couples counseling, like couples counseling in Palatine, IL, to get started with premarital counseling today. 

Thanks to Lotus Wellness Center for their insight into how premarital counseling can help your marriage before it even begins.