Attend Pre Marital Counseling Before You say I Do



Posted: Tuesday, April 21, 2009

by

In a survey of over 3,000 homes across 4 states, published by Scott Stanley for the Journal of Family Psychology (March, 2006), suggest that pre marriage counseling really does help couples deal with money issues. This survey showed that couples seeking marriage family counselors were 31% less likely to divorce than those who did not. They also reported lower marital dissatisfaction and conflict and greater levels of commitment.

Marriage counseling prior to the wedding can be viewed as a prenuptial and can be offensive for some. This is becoming less of an issue as couples counseling becomes much more common. To effectively assist you, the California Association for Marriage Family Therapists created a list of principles. Some good reasons to attend pre marriage counseling include a failed marriage, issues with commitment, or a history of abuse. Minor obstacles can often become catastrophes later, so addressing them early and with professional assistance is important.

On your first pre marriage counseling session you will receive a Pre Marital Inventory (PMI) test. The quiz examines areas like interests, expectations of your marital roles, religious beliefs, finances, children and parenting, and sexuality. This test identifies your strengths and weaknesses and arms you with the tools to have a successful marriage.

Financial problems are the leading cause for divorce, so money is often a primary reason couples seek pre-marriage counseling. Mental health counselors profess that control is at the root of the argument. One person often assumes control of the finances, causing stress in the marriage. Though difficult, couples should deal with finances as a team and marriage counselors can help make this a smooth transition.

Another reason to seek pre marriage counseling is to resolve any false conceptions either bride or groom may have. A popular but incorrect assumption is that the principal factors making a marriage long lasting are luck and love; rather, commitment and companionship are the real important reasons. Seeking Christian marriage counseling before walking down the aisle ensures a smooth start to your marriage.

About the Author:
Divorce circumstances differ from one relationship to another, but when Andrew Tenco was looking for a Divorce Lawyers in Sacramento, he found the experts at the Family Law Center really understood his needs. For a Sacramento County family law, he recommends the Family Law Center.
This Article has been viewed 298 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.