

{"id":21103,"date":"2018-01-18T12:52:43","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T12:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=21103"},"modified":"2022-12-21T11:00:20","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T11:00:20","slug":"benefits-of-couples-therapy-before-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/benefits-of-couples-therapy-before-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-Marriage Counseling: 10 Benefits of Couples Therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-21104 size-full\" title=\"Pre marriage couples therapy sets a strong foundation for marriage\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Pre-marriage-couples-therapy-sets-a-stronf-foundation-for-marriage.jpg\" alt=\"Pre marriage couples therapy sets a strong foundation for marriage\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many benefits of attending couples therapy before marriage, and newly engaged couples can also take advantage of this. The benefits of couples therapy before marriage include improving communication, discussing past issues, learning to solve problems effectively, and getting to know one another better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Health Research Funding, engaged couples who go through premarital counseling have a marriage success rate <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/healthresearchfunding.org\/20-significant-premarital-counseling-statistics\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30% higher<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than couples who don&rsquo;t seek professional guidance.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The research also speaks volumes about the benefits of couples therapy and its success rate. Be sure to seek out counseling before your marriage is in trouble. Instead, learn to communicate, get to know one another on a deeper level, and prevent potential problems in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-couples-counseling\"><\/span><b>What is couples counseling?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/therapy\/couples-therapy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples counseling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is often seen as a way of addressing the conflicts and problems that a couple faces in maintaining a healthy and happy relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples counseling is usually the term used to describe talk therapy sessions between a counselor and a couple, where the aim is to address the couple&rsquo;s concerns about their relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The expert uses various techniques to guide them towards healthier ways of understanding and dealing with their problems. Couples opt for this as they hope to improve their relationship by reaping the benefits of couples therapy.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When-should-you-go-for-couples-counseling\"><\/span><b>When should you go for couples counseling?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While most couples seek couples counseling benefits when their relationship is going through a problem, you can visit a couples counselor at any point to improve your relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/seek-marriage-therapy-and-couple-counseling\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going for couples counseling sessions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> becomes extremely important when your relationship is going through a bad phase and you cannot get back on the same page by yourself. The therapist can provide healthy ways to understand and address your problems gradually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-21105 size-full\" title=\"As a couple discuss finances with complete transparency\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/As-a-couple-discuss-finances-with-complete-transparency.jpg\" alt=\"As a couple discuss finances with complete transparency\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-benefits-of-pre-marriage-counseling\"><\/span><b>10 benefits of pre-marriage counseling<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several benefits of marriage counseling. If you have questions like &ldquo;Is relationship therapy worth it?&rdquo; &ldquo;Does couples therapy help?&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some benefits of couples therapy that can convey their impact and significance for a couple going through problems:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Learn to communicate<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest problems in marriages is the inability to communicate. Couples who do not know how to talk to one another are setting their marriage up for failure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Communication is key to a happy, healthy marriage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You and your spouse should be able to talk about anything. Discuss your days together and the future; discuss money and other heavy-hitting topics.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/communication\/8-tips-to-improve-communication-in-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning how to communicate in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/therapy\/couples-therapy-before-marriage-is-it-worth-your-time\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">couples therapy before marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will set you up for a healthy relationship going forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Discuss past issues<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the benefits of premarital counseling is that it gives partners the unique opportunity to discuss past issues openly. These issues may otherwise go unmentioned.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Discussing past issues is important since romantic and familial relationships from the past can carry emotional baggage into your upcoming marriage.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning to cope with the past can give you a better idea of reacting and responding to certain circumstances with your spouse. For example, children of divorce may be more likely to have an irrational fear of infidelity or abandonment.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Discussing such issues can teach you the best way to comfort and reassure your spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/should-you-tell-your-partner-everything-about-your-past\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should You Tell Your Partner Everything About Your Past or Not?<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>3. Get to know one another<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You probably believe you know your partner very well if you are about to get married.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of couples therapy include going through a process that can help you get to know your partner on an even deeper level.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples therapy will <\/span><b>delve deep into how your <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-make-your-partner-feel-secure\/\"><b>partner feels<\/b><\/a><b> about marriage,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> gender roles, forgiveness, spiritual beliefs, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Discuss potential problems<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not uncommon for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/mistakes-newly-engaged-couples-make-thoughts-on-conscious-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">newly engaged couples<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to their partner.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attending couples therapy before marriage will help you and your partner identify potential problems that will come up in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is your partner the jealous type? Is one of you outgoing, whereas the other is a homebody?<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/is-anger-poisoning-your-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples may uncover anger issues, addictions, and other potential problems during premarital counseling.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Knowing about these problems before marriage can help couples formulate a plan on how to handle such issues should they come up<\/b> <b>in the future<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Learn to solve problems<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the largest benefits of couples therapy before marriage is<\/span><b> learning how to be a problem solver<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/conflict-resolution-four-ways-to-end-a-cold-war\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conflict resolution includes learning to speak to one another, keeping calm, being respectful, patient, and clear with your words, and learning to listen.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/8-common-problems-in-married-life\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25 Common Marriage Problems Faced by Couples &amp; Their Solutions<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>6. Discuss expectations<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you and your partner on the same page regarding your marriage?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may think you know the answer and then feel completely blindsided once you get into your therapy sessions.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Refrain from letting there be any unexpected revelations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after you&rsquo;ve already tied the knot. Instead, openly discuss your expectations for your future together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Couples counseling before marriage help with discussions of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/295080810_Relationship_Expectations_and_Relationship_Quality\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marital expectations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They include how you will handle each partner&rsquo;s working and financial contributions, where you will live, whether you will start a family, how you will handle infidelity or job loss, and your mutual expectations regarding your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/physical-intimacy\/healthy-sex-life\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sex life<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. Comfortably discuss finances<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Money is a common reason for marital discord. One of the reasons people choose to separate has to do with how one spouse handles their finances.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One research study found that money was statistically one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/327067795_Relationships_between_management_of_money_dyadic_adjustment_and_marital_conflict_Relacoes_entre_gestao_de_dinheiro_ajuste_diadico_e_conflito_conjugal\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">most recurrent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> marital conflicts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/7-best-marriage-counseling-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marriage counseling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before marriage will help you be comfortable discussing financial goals. Newly engaged couples need to learn<\/span><b> how to discuss finances comfortably.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Topics should include whether both partners will work full time, how finances will be shared, and who will cover what expenses. Debt, future financial goals, and budgeting should also be open for discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out this video to learn more about when is it the right time to discuss finances with your partner:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sEKVhCQCK_A\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. Strengthen your relationship<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest benefits of couples therapy before marriage is that you will <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/things-couple-can-do-to-strengthen-a-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">strengthen your marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Even the most perfect couple has its ups and downs.<\/span><b>&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Taking charge of the future of your relationship is one of the healthiest things you can do.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By getting to know one another, for better or worse, you ensure that you&rsquo;re mentally and emotionally prepared to deal with any issues that may arise.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benefits of couples therapy include helping you share openly with one another and drawing you closer together.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>9. Have an outsider&rsquo;s perspective<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your counselor has seen it all. Your therapist will let you know how to best approach the situation if you have an issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of taking sides, your counselor will act as an unbiased observer who can see your relationship from both perspectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This <\/span><b>outsider&rsquo;s perspective will offer insight into your relationship&rsquo;s strengths and<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> areas you can both work on going forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/save-your-marriage\/saving-your-marriage-yourself-eleven-time-tested-perspectives-to-consider\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saving Your Marriage Yourself: Eleven Time-Tested Perspectives to Consider<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>10. Prevent divorce<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When to go to couples counseling?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Premarital counseling is a great way to prepare you for the future and reinforce your commitment to one another before marriage. It will also <\/span><b>increase overall happiness and lower divorce chances<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared to couples who go into marriage without any prior therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While we count <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/therapy\/pre-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">premarital counseling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> benefits, it is also important to talk about the most important questions you must ask during marriage counseling before getting married.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the video below, Jamilah and Marcel discuss some vital premarital counseling questions to prepare for a successful and healthy marriage. The questions range from background, marriage goals, and responsibilities to finances, faith\/religion, and children.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span><b>FAQ<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><b>What is the most common topic addressed in couple&rsquo;s counseling?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therapy for couples can help them deal with a wide variety of issues. However, some of the most common topics addressed by couples counselors involve a broken connection between couples. This can be because of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/communication\/common-communication-problems-in-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">communication issues<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, trust issues, misunderstandings or resentments surrounding unaddressed problems within the relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summing-up\"><\/span><b>Summing up<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to tying the knot, there is always room for improvement. Your future marriage can successfully reap the benefits of couples therapy before marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more comfortable you and your partner are at communicating and problem-solving, the more capable you will feel when dealing with issues in your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many benefits of attending couples therapy before marriage, and newly engaged couples can also take advantage of this. The benefits of couples therapy before marriage include improving communication, discussing past issues, learning to solve problems effectively, and getting to know one another better. According to Health Research Funding, engaged couples who go through premarital counseling have a marriage success rate 30% higher than couples who don&rsquo;t seek professional guidance.&nbsp; The research also speaks volumes about the benefits of couples therapy and its success rate. Be sure to seek out counseling before your marriage is in trouble. Instead, learn <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":21104,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21],"tags":[2618],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21103"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21103"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21103\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81885,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21103\/revisions\/81885"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}