There’s no doubt that being engaged is exciting! Marriage is a major milestone in life, and the preparations and festivities that lead up to the big day are a lot of fun. In all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget that the preparation shouldn’t just focus on the wedding day, but the marriage that spans the rest of your life. We’ve all heard the statistics — half of all marriages end in divorce, and lots of marriages that do stay together struggle along the way. There ARE marriages that don’t just hobble along, but provide partners with fulfillment, support, joy, passion… all the things that are so easy to focus on on the wedding day, but that so many couples report losing sight of over time. And yours can be one of them!

Multiple studies have demonstrated that a skills-based, comprehensive premarital counseling and education program can substantially reduce the risk of divorce.  How? Because it functions as a sort of immunization against the challenges you’ll no doubt face together. It allows you to think through and talk about how you’ll communicate, solve problems, make decisions, structure your family, and interact with the world. It provides a time and space where you can step back from wedding planning and do some marriage planning. And it allows you to explore how influences from your families of origin might play out over time in your marriage.

We can almost guarantee that you’ll learn something new about your partner, and probably something new about yourself! You’ll leave with important new skills, and you’ll move towards breaking bad habits so that they don’t cause problems later on. You’ll have an opportunity to talk about the big, obvious issues, like goals, sex, money, and managing conflict. But you’ll also talk about everyday things, like how you spend your leisure time and division of responsibilities in your household. Understanding where each partner stands on these issues allows couples to go into marriage with their eyes wide open and with realistic expectations about the life they are creating together.

Pre-Marital Counseling is most effective when it’s facilitated by a therapist who has been specifically trained to work with engaged couples. That's where we come in. Our clinicians are specifically trained to address the needs of engaged couples, guiding you through important discussions that cover both the challenges of planning a wedding together and the struggles that you might encounter over the course of your marriage. We have helped many couples achieve new levels of understanding, passion, and happiness in their relationships, and we can help you too!

If you are interested in learning more about the pre-marital counseling services offered at Lindsey Hoskins & Associates, please contact us via phone or e-mail. We are passionate about helping couples develop the skills and insight they need to create happy, long-lasting marriages, and we would love to work with you!

NEW! We are not proudly offering wedding officiant services! Associate Emily Cook is ordained through the American Fellowship Church and is authorized to perform weddings in the state of Maryland. Please contact us directly for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!