Pre- and Post-Marital Counseling: Do You Need It?

What is premarital counseling supposed to do?

Premarital counseling is designed to help you really break down your relationship before you walk down the aisle. If you have chosen an officiant that from a church, or one that is part of a religious organization, you may be required to go through one to three sessions before the officiant will marry you.

Keep an open mind when it comes to premarital counseling, while you might think it’s “dumb” or “not necessary” – you may be surprised with the results from sitting down with the one you love and someone else. This is a great way to get all your hopes, dreams and fears for the future out on the table. Premarital counseling is also a great way to resolve any reoccurring arguments, as well as provide you with the tools and emotionally stability within one another to avoid toxic arguments all together.

What about once you’re married? Should you keep seeing someone after the big day? 

Some couples want to make sure that – once all the glitter fades and reality sets in – your marriage is off to a good, healthy start. This is perfectly fine, but you might feel a little push from your partner to do your own thing. That’s why it is super important to discuss what counseling means to you and why you both need it and what it means to you.

Feelings like this could also mean that you need a one on one counselor to talk about your hopes, dreams, fears and expectations for life in general; which is perfectly fine too. A lot of people can think they have something like depression and anxiety when all it is – is a little emotional distress or stress. Counseling is great to work out your emotional problems, so don’t let anyone discourage you from sharing with a professional.

Where can you find post-marital counseling?

If you are both comfortable with your officiant, talk to him/her and see if they offer post-marital counseling. If they don’t or can’t take you on at the time simply ask if they can recommend anyone. If you’re more apt to use a professional counseling service or psychology service, local hospital and doctor groups are a great place to look. Check local forums like Reddit or Yahoo in your area, many people are open to sharing great doctors and practices on the internet these days.