premarital counseling with Stonebriar Counseling Associates
Premarital Counseling

Build a Partnership that Lasts with Premarital Counseling

Premarital counseling can lay the foundation for a successful, enduring marriage. Our therapists encourage couples to explore potential strengths and needs in the relationship, to discuss and resolve areas of disagreement, to develop a vision for the future, and to accept each other as individuals. The Taylor Johnson Temperament Analysis is used to discuss strengths and explore areas where further growth is advised. In order to develop communication that goes beyond surface level communication and selfishness a couple must understand that the relationship cannot be taken for granted .

Lay The Groundwork for Your Marriage

Starting a new life together can be really tough, both mentally and physically. If you’re already feeling angry or frustrated, and you’re also being selfish, it can be easy to give up on trying to fix things. Instead of working together to strengthen your relationship, you might just drift apart and assume that this is as good as it gets.

Many couples who take their relationship for granted pretend everything is okay to the outside world. But deep down, they’re not really dealing with their problems or working on their emotional connection. Our counselors can help you create a safe, supportive space to talk openly, understand each other better, and build a strong, lasting relationship.

Our Premarital Counseling Program: PREPARE-ENRICH

About Prepare-Enrich

PREPARE-ENRICH is the leading relationship inventory and couple’s assessment tool. Scientifically validated as a foundational program for premarital counseling, marriage enrichment, couples therapy, marriage mentoring and marriage education. PREPARE-ENRICH automatically tailors the content of the relationship assessment to fit each couple’s unique relationship stage and family structure

PREPARE-ENRICH is a customized couple assessment completed online that identifies a couple’s strength and growth areas. It is one of the most widely used programs for premarital counseling and premarital education. It is also used for marriage counseling, marriage enrichment, and dating couples considering engagement. Based on a couple’s assessment results, a trained facilitator provides 4-8 feedback sessions in which the facilitator helps the couple discuss and understand their results as they are taught proven relationship skills.

Prepare-Enrich Goals

The PREPARE/ENRICH Program has these goals for couples:

  • Explore relationship strength and growth areas
  • Strengthen couple communication skills, including forgiveness
  • Identify and manage major stressors
  • Learn conflict resolution strategies using the Ten Step Model
  • Explore family-of-origin issues using the Couple and Family Map (Circumplex Model)
  • Discuss financial planning and budgeting
  • Develop personal, couple and family goals
  • Understand and appreciate personality differences

Each partner completes the inventory online (a 40-60-minute process that can be worked on and saved, if needed). Then you meet with me, the facilitator, together to go over areas of strength and growth in your relationship. At this time, I will help you talk to one another about the issues identified and/or whatever is on your mind leading up to marriage and commitment. I will provide you with time-tested exercises to increase understanding and skill in the areas of growth.

There are 3 class versions available: 

  • Standard Version
  • Catholic Version
  • Biblical Reference Version

Invest in Your Future Marriage & Save Money, Too

Premarital Counseling has been found to reduce the rate of divorce by 30%. Premarital counseling, coaching, and education are investments in each partner’s futures; investments you shouldn’t risk passing up. So, upon completion of qualifying classes you will be presented with a certificate that will discount your marriage license by $60 when presented to the county clerk. Additionally, the presented certificate will also waive the mandatory 3-day waiting period for your license.