We have all heard the grim statistics about divorce rates in our country. During the hustle and excitement of wedding planning, it is easy to assume (or wish) that those statistics will not apply to the marriage you will share with your soon-to-be spouse. The bad news is wishing is not sufficient to divorce-proof your marriage! Can you imagine what would happen if you depended solely on wishful thinking to get into college, be successful in a career, or achieve another goal you have set for yourself? The good news is that premarital counseling can help give you a plan to achieve the goal of having a successful marriage. Research has shown that participating in premarital counseling can help reduce your risk of divorce by up to 30%. In addition, research has found that the year before marriage through the first six months of marriage is the optimal time to participate in counseling. Couples who enter premarital counseling take advantage of this research-supported prime time to develop healthy relationship patterns, therefore preventing unhealthy patterns from forming. Couples who choose to enter therapy after unhealthy patterns have formed have usually been unhappy for quite some time, have experienced some damage to the relationship, and find therapy to take much longer to improve the quality of their marriage.

In premarital counseling, your therapist will help you develop a plan to deal with all aspects of marriage, including dealing with in-laws, finances, conflict management, expectations, communication, intimacy, and long-term goals. At Lepage Associates we believe each couple has different strengths and weaknesses, and our approach to premarital counseling reflects this belief. Your therapist will listen to your specific concerns and goals and develop a counseling plan to address them. Just as all your hard work planning your wedding will be enjoyed on your big day, premarital counseling will be the preparation that will allow you to enjoy your relationship all the days that follow.

In addition to being psychologists specializing in relationships, at Lepage Associates we are trained in the nationally recognized PREPARE marriage prep program. This is an excellent program in its own right, and also meets the requirements of most wedding officiates and churches for premarital counseling/education. (Marriage prep at Lepage Associates makes a great gift for the happy couple as well!)