Premarital counseling

What is premarital counseling?

When it seems like marriage is on the horizon, and even after you are engaged, it is common for romantic partners to see a resurgence of old tensions, and perhaps some new problems, which beg to be addressed before you embark on your life together.  Many couples are frightened by this development. They worry that the tension, or resurgence of old problems, means that they are incompatible on a deeper level.  On the contrary, it means that you have gotten this far, most likely because you do complement each other, and must now face the fears evoked by this step towards deeper commitment.  

Premarital couples counseling is a form of pre-wedding counseling in which a therapist, with specific expertise in treating premarital couples, guides you beyond repetitive arguments and conflicts to a deeper understanding of how to bolster and support each other.  You will deepen your insight into yourself and your partner, increase your empathy for each other, and find mutual solutions.   At the end of the day you will be much better prepared than you were before for the unique and wonderful journey of marriage.

You and your partner should consider premarital therapy if you are experiencing:

• Repetitive arguments
• Feelings of distance
• One partner is excited for marriage, while the other seems to have reservations.
• A drop in warmth or affection

• Trust issues

• Infidelity/Emotional affairs
• Persistent feelings of anger, resentment or dissatisfaction
• Decreased interest in sexual intimacy

How can Depth Counseling help?

If you are experiencing one or more of these difficulties then we would strongly recommend you reach out for an initial consultation for premarital counseling in Chicago.  Our therapists can help you to uncover the real issues at play beneath your discontent.  Instead of arguing, talking around issues, or simply avoiding each other, you can gain real traction and movement towards a deeper resolution.  

 Many new premarital clients fear that if they uncover the real issues, then they will discover a basic incompatibility in their relationship and will need to break up.  For this reason, they avoid taking the first step of reaching out for help.  In truth, pre-marriage counseling only leads to break up if one or both of the partners wishes to end the relationship.  In most cases, though, both partners are surprised by how good it feels to address the real issues and find mutual and lasting solutions. 

As you work through your relational conflict with one of our couples therapists, you will notice:

• Greater insight into the real problems beneath repetitive arguments or tensions.
• Deeper understanding and empathy for your partner’s needs and feelings
• Trust in your partner to listen and hear your message (even when it is difficult)
• Trust in yourself to express your needs and feelings in a way that gets heard.
• An increased sense of physical and emotional safety
• A renewed wish for physical and emotional intimacy
• The knowledge that you can work through conflict to strengthen the bond
• A feeling of durability (“If we made it through this, we can make it through future challenges.”)
• The pleasure of knowing that you have created the foundation for a stable, fulfilling marriage.

Each of our therapists is dedicated to providing a safe space where you can explore your psychological world. We are passionate about serving our community through thorough expert treatment and diagnosis, empathic understanding, and client-centered care. If you and your partner struggle with any of these common premarital problems, Depth Counseling can help. Do not just wait for things to get better — contact us today.