LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
What is Premarital Counselling?
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (Ed. D) Department of Christian Leadership and
Church Ministries
By
Mary Gracias
Lynchburg, Virginia
10/2022
Introduction to Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling commonly referred to as marriage before counseling is a special type
of therapy that is basically taken by family or marriage handling therapists. The only goal of
premarital counseling is to offer advantages to couples which are taken as a long-term
commitment for marriages. The premarital counselor identifies and addresses potential areas
of conflicts before marriage that may convert into a major or serious issue. The counselor
teaches effective strategies to the partners for discussing and resolving the issues at the same
time.
Couples who seek premarital counseling or counseling before marriage have a better
understanding, grounded expectations, and resolved issues or conflicts before entering into a
new phase. This blog covers everything you need to know about premarital counseling along
with its benefits and importance. So, let’s get started.
Benefits of Premarital Counseling
1. Helps in planning the future together
Premarital counseling does more than just helping couples resolving their current issues.
Apart from resolving issues, counselors trained for premarital counseling helps couples in
planning the future together. They help in setting family planning and financial goals so that
there are no reasons for conflict after marriage.
They also help in setting expectations from each other after and before marrying each
other. They generally focus on relationship changes and establishing healthy goals.
2. It Lets couple absorbs the wisdom
We cannot deny the fact that talking to someone married for a long time, is the benefit you
take from a voice of wisdom. When a counselor’s experience speaks, you can get the essential
encouragement and tested advice. Premarital counselors talk about struggles, financial issues,
and intimacy which helps in learning marriage and relationships.
3. Helps discover new things about each other
Premarital counselors believe in end-to-end conversation so that the couples can engage
more with the counselor. Good listening skills are the only way to discover new things about
your partner.
In this way, couples learn more about each other. It also helps in learning what upsets or
nervous their partners. Premarital counseling takes the relationship to a successful wedded
couple level.
4. Builds communication skills
Generally, when couples seek counseling before marriage, the counselor acts as a
mediator, in the beginning, to help them understand each other. After some time of counseling,
couples inevitably develop communication skills that help them resolve conflicts on their own.
Indeed, building communication skills is one of the best benefits of premarital counseling. `
5. Resolves issues
The other best thing about premarital counseling is that it resolves issues. It’s a great
opportunity for confronting issues before they convert into severe issues. Addressing and
resolving issues before marriage is an effective way for ensuring a solid foundation. And
specifically, it avoids serious conflicts after or before marriage. Couples need to be candid while
they are attending sessions of premarital counseling.
Importance of Premarital Counseling
Premarital counselor helps in developing communication between the partners.
It also helps in setting realistic goals for a successful marriage.
Premarital counseling helps in developing conflict-resolution skills.
It also helps in establishing a positive attitude towards each other.
Premarital counselor helps in understanding the significance of marriage.
Counseling before marriage helps in changing the mentality towards changing
themselves for a better cause.
Expectations from Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling is different from therapy. It totally depends on the counselor how
he/she wants to take up the therapy sessions (individually or together).
The sessions offered by the premarital counselor are the chance for working together. It
helps in identifying concerns, strengths, and weaknesses so that future conflicts can be avoided.
It takes marriage and relationship to a whole different level of success and happiness.
Your counselor might develop a “Couple resource map” for resolving the conflicts within
and establishing happiness. Premarital counselor also talks about signs of concern so that a plan
of action can be developed.
Who offers Premarital Counseling?
Getting premarital counseling helps partners establish long-term commitment and
prepares them for life after marriage. Premarital counseling is generally taken by family
therapists and marriage counselors. Couples looking for premarital counseling can approach:
Group therapy sessions
Seek individual counseling from a therapist
Attend workshops
Attend community programs
Online counseling programs
