Tag: blended families

Premarital Counseling for 2nd Marriages

Premarital counseling is highly recommended for second marriages, offering valuable support in navigating challenges like blending families and addressing past hurts. It’s beneficial for any couple considering a second marriage, regardless of the reasons for their previous marriages or their individual circumstances.

Premarital therapy provides a space to discuss concerns and expectations, enhancing communication and resolving issues before the wedding.

Benefits of Premarital Counseling for 2nd Marriages:

Addressing The Past:  Counseling can help couples process and heal from past relationship experiences, fostering a healthier foundation for the new marriage.

Blending Families:  Second marriages often involve navigating complex family dynamics, and premarital counseling can help couples establish clear communication and boundaries with children and stepfamily members.

Improving Communication:  Counseling equips couples with tools to communicate effectively, resolve conflict constructively, and build a stronger foundation of trust.

Addressing Specific Concerns:  It can help couples discuss and agree on important issues like finances, children, and religion, which can be particularly challenging in second marriages.

Redefining Roles and Expectations:  Second marriages involve new roles and expectations, and premarital counseling can help couples clarify these and set realistic goals for their relationship.

Tips for a successful second marriage:

Be Open and Honest: Share your thoughts, feelings, and concerns openly with your partner.

Develop Rituals of Connection: Create shared experiences and activities that strengthen your bond.

Practice Active Listening: Listen attentively to each other and understand each other’s perspectives.

Don’t hesitate to seek premarital or marriage counseling if you encounter difficulties.

Contact Chana Pfeifer, LCSW

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Counseling for Blended Families

Are your children or step children causing conflict between you and your spouse / ex-spouse?

Do you feel emotionally drained by the challenges of being in a blended / step family?

Do you sometimes doubt if your relationship will succeed?

Remarriage, especially when children from the previous relationship(s) are involved, can be a land mine for conflict.

Becoming a step family has lots of moving parts and an equal amount of emotions. When two families combine, there is lots of room for disagreement. Not every family is successful at “blending,” especially when it comes to the priorities of the marriage and children.

An intact nuclear family starts with a marriage and then adds children to the mix.. but in a blended family, the children are there at the beginning; they pre-date the marriage. This brings a much different dynamic to the table.

Blended families are a challenge, but I have seen blended-family marriages thrive when the husband and wife keep marriage a priority and respect their children. Building something that extends far beyond the child rearing years gives your children a foundation to build upon for themselves.

The good news is that most remarried couples can beat the odds of divorce and build a successful blended family if they know how to overcome the unique barriers to marital intimacy in a blended family and if they understand step family dynamics.

In other words, learn to beat the odds of divorce by “getting smart.“

Counseling for Blended Families

If you’re in the midst of a blended family, support and guidance from an experienced and compassionate licensed therapist may be critical to the success of your relationship and your family.

Blended family counseling gives you the opportunity to make space and time for your relationship. It also demonstrates to each other that, while in the midst of chaos and conflict, working through your family issues is a priority.

To learn more about Pared Therapy, click here.