Begin your marriage in a healthy way and learn how to keep it healthy!
Don’t wait until there’s a problem before seeking therapy.
Some couples avoid premarital counseling for fear it will damper the ‘good times’. The truth is, premarital counseling is a proactive way to address potential relationship issues before they become problems in your marriage. Examining your relationship before you head down the aisle will actually bring you closer.
Learn to talk – Communication is the bottom line in successful marriages. Couples who are able and willing to talk openly about personal issues are much more likely to stay together, happily.
Plan for problems – In the midst of your joyous plans, bad times do come as well. The more planning you do for handling problems, the less trauma your relationship will suffer when life’s challenges find you.
Fight fair – The other side of communication is disagreeing. As much as you adore your spouse, there will inevitably be a day when you take different stances on something. Premarital therapy can teach you in advance how to make your way through a fight without doing damage, and to come out the other side with greater understanding.
Remember independence – You’re becoming a new pair. It’s still important to acknowledge one another as an individual, and that the marriage itself is a separate entity from you and your partner. Don’t forget what makes you happy independently while you become a married couple.
Ask a lot of questions – What do you expect your relationship to look like in 15 years? How do you feel about money? Dogs, kids, both, none? What’s your partner’s credit score? How will you deal with in-laws?
