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Established:	2004
Employees:	1
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Relationships shouldn’t take a lot of work....

I provide Premarital Counseling in San Diego helping couples prevent future conflict.  I write articles about how to keep and build a healthy and strong relationship.  Visit my blog Relationships in the Raw.  

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Registered Intern (IMF#47211) supervised by Dr. Mark Kaupp, MFC#33213.   



**By the way: My photos were taken by Resolusean. 

Thinking about Premarital Counseling: What to expect and how to find a Therapist

Premarital counseling is a preventative tool; a way to explore expectations for marriage, steps to maintain healthy connection, and determine communication struggles.  Relationships are investments: the more you put into it, the more it will grow and mature. The more it grows and matures, the more you will benefit. Statistics show that nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce (US Census Bureau, February 2002) and premarital counseling can help couples avoid falling into that percentage.

What to expect in Pre Marriage Counseling:
Depending on the therapist, most counselors will explore many aspects of the relationship. Some of the areas addressed are expectations, roles, conflict resolutions, communication styles, intimacy, family/family-in-law issues, financial issues, and more. As a therapist, I help my couples understand how they interact, ways to be more effective in communicating, and how to continue growing in the relationship. Most of my premarital counseling sessions are short-term, lasting about 3 sessions, yet other couples may require a longer amount of time, depending on the issues.

How to Find a Premarital Therapist:

1. Interview the Therapist: Ask the psychotherapist about their specialty, their experience working with premarital counseling, and how they work with couples getting married. This is your time to interview, get a feel for your comfort level with the therapist, and weed out the therapists that you do not like. The internet is a popular place to look for psychotherapists: take a look at their photos, review their websites, and learn about them.

2. Contact 2 to 3 Premarital Therapists: Contact 2 to 3 therapist, take notes about the way they work, and keep track with the one you feel the most comfortable with. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are specialized in relationships and communicating. I highly recommend using a therapist specifically trained in relationships.

3. Comfort with the Therapist: The most important thing to keep in mind is your comfort level you have with the therapist. Do you feel comfortable speaking with the therapist? Do you feel like the therapist understands you and can provide what you want? Make sure that you found a therapist that fits for you.

4. Fees: Be honest with yourself and determine what you are willing to invest in the relationship. The relationship is the foundation, and everything else can be impacted by the structure. If you can’t afford a therapist’s fee, ask if they have a sliding scale (a lower fee slot) or if they have any recommendations. 

Get educated about marriage and visit Relationships in the Raw .  Here you will learn more about building a strong marriage and how I work as a therapist.