Why Do You Need Premarital Counseling?

The divorce rate may have dropped in the last couple of years, but this isn’t necessarily a sign of healthy marriages. Research has shown that a reduced divorce rate is attributed to couples delaying getting married till they’re older, or at all.  One reason for this is because couples often feel their beliefs and understanding of each other isn’t aligned.

Can premarital counseling help with this? Let’s take a look.

It Helps You Know Your Partner Better

We know what you’re thinking. You already know everything about your fiancé. That’s why you’ve agreed to marry them, right?

Wrong. Even if you believe that you know the biggest as well as the smallest details about your partner, you’ll find that there’s always something new to learn. Premarital counseling provides a gateway for this, giving you and your fiancé the chance to talk about subjects you hadn’t before.

These may be topics one of you has avoided talking about in the past, or maybe something so random that you didn’t even think of bringing it up before. Either way, you’ll find that there’s always more to a person than what you know, and will help you better understand your partner. This will also help you develop a greater level of trust and intimacy with them.

It Fosters Communication Skills

Effective communication is essential for any relationship, and especially important within a marriage. This sacred union involves two individuals spending their lives together and sharing experiences, common values, and resources. In order for them both to better understand each other and express themselves, they need to have effective communication skills.

Premarital counseling helps cultivate these skills. It enables both partners to gain compassion and communicate with each other in a way that doesn’t harm the relationship. You learn how to be a good listener, how to respond in certain situations, and how to express your feelings amicably and effectively. This is important as it then helps you navigate through the ups and downs of your marriage and encourages you to be expressive and honest in a compassionate way.

It Allows You to Acknowledge & Adjust Your Expectations

Before you enter into a marriage, you have certain expectations regarding various critical aspects. These may be related to how you want to tackle the big life decisions such as finances, career, and starting a family together as a couple. They may also be about how you wish to keep the romance alive and what expectations you have from your partner regarding intimacy and affection.

Through premarital counseling, both you and your to-be spouse can discuss these topics in detail. It allows you both to explore your expectations together as a couple and adjust them accordingly. It’s always wise to be on the same page as your partner on what the two of you expect from each other and yourselves once you’re married!

Silicon Valley Marriage Counseling provides premarital counseling services in the Bay Area. We also offer couples counseling, marriage counseling, and family mediation.

Make an appointment with us now!