Premarital Counseling San Diego, CA

Do you and your partner want to ensure the best possible future together?

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Premarital counseling and therapy can help create the strongest bond possible that will continue to last into your marriage

Are you and/or your partner currently worried about anything in your relationship? Does this worry create concern around your future marriage? Is the stress of planning your wedding causing any conflict between the two of you? Perhaps there isn’t even anything in particular that is “interfering in your relationship”, but you feel that it would just be helpful to talk to a professional before taking this big step in your lives together. Maybe as the big day is getting closer you are realizing that there are, in fact, issues that have yet to be reconciled and you would like to address them sooner rather than later.

Getting married can feel overwhelming

Not only is this a huge emotional and legal step in your relationship, but it is also common to feel additional stress from external sources leading up to the wedding. Friends and family typically are somewhat involved in the wedding planning process, and this may add to already existing feelings of pressure. I have never met a couple that wasn’t at least a little nervous or stressed during the premarital process. This is completely normal and you are not alone.

Why Do Most Couples See a Premarital Counselor?

Premarital Therapy Can Help!

Premarital therapy teaches tools and techniques that promote self-soothing, healthy problem-solving, open-communication, emotional awareness, and others that are conducive to marital satisfaction and, therefore, a successful marriage. I will listen to your story, support you, and remind you that this is your story that you’re building together!

Together, you will learn how to:

Why Book a Premarital Therapy Session With Me?

In addition to my specific training in couples and relationships, I also have years of experience in the field. I have worked with relationships throughout my career in a variety of circumstances and treatment settings including school, community-based mental health care, and private practice. I have successfully helped many couples facing numerous commitments and life changes together (including getting married and having successful marriages) through improving emotional awareness, individual self-worth, and resolution-focused communication. Additionally, if you are an individual seeking premarital counseling services, I have lots of experience working with that as well, and I would love to help!

I love couples work and I believe my positive therapy approach is built for establishing strong foundations, friendship, intimacy, and trust. Although these elements are crucial to any relationship, using this approach in premarital therapy and counseling and therapy will focus on establishing, identifying and improving the foundations of what your marriage will be built upon. What better time to emotionally commit to having a happy and successful marriage than now? With my combined knowledge, passion and experience, I will provide you with the skills and guidance to not only better navigate your future marriage, but feel empowered and confident to use them on your own as you continue to build a life together.

Are you ready to build the foundations of a successful marriage?

Contact me today to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation and see if premarital counseling in San Diego is right for you!

MY STANDARD RATE IS $200 PER SESSION (50 MINUTES)
Prefer a longer session time? Just ask for details!

I do not accept insurance but I do offer Superbills that can be presented to insurance companies for reimbursement. Learn more about my rates and insurance.

Here are some typical questions about seeing a premarital counselor and therapist...

What does premarital therapy do?

Premarital therapy helps partners improve emotional awareness, communication, and conflict-resolution skills that set the foundation of a successful marriage. Additionally, it promotes discussion around each partner’s expectations around marriage; which increases the understanding and clarity that is so important to marital satisfaction.

How long should you do premarital counseling?

Honestly, I have always been of the belief that this aspect of treatment is completely up to you. My thinking is, if you’re wondering, you may as well just try it out. Premarital counseling doesn’t have to end a certain amount of time ahead of the wedding, nor does it have to end once a couple gets married (it just evolves into “marriage counseling”). In other words, worst case scenario, starting counseling “too soon” just means you figure everything out well before the wedding… which is still a good thing.

What are the benefits of premarital counseling?

While couples or marriage counseling can help intimate partners address concerns that arise in the course of their relationship, counseling for premarital couples can help partners identify areas specific to marriage that are likely to cause conflict later on; such as having/raising children, finances, career, overall family dynamics, etc. As a result, these important topics can be addressed and planned for before they ever become full-fledged marital issues.

Should we see a premarital therapist? How do I know if I/we need therapy?

In all honesty, no one can answer that better than you. Just ask yourself,

Are things good, but not as good as they could be or once were?
How successful have you been (pre and post engagement) in resolving conflicts without assistance?
Do you want to learn the necessary skills for having a fulfilling and satisfying marriage?
Are there things in your relationship that could one day result in divorce if not properly attended to?

Is premarital counseling important?

Yes. Your marriage is important. Even when a relationship does not “need” counseling, it is still “important” if not simply for the message of true commitment that premarital counseling sends. Personally, I think that is the most important message you can send your partner as you take your biggest emotional (and legal) steps together.

What to Expect in Premarital Counseling Sessions?

A premarital therapist can help you and your partner discover and express what is most important in a relationship, so you may enter your marriage with the strong foundation it deserves. Premarital therapy sessions teach effective techniques that promote clear and considerate communication, while avoiding so many of the unnecessary miscommunications that disrupt intimacy and friendship early on in marriages. Additionally, seeing a premarital counselor teaches self-soothing and problem-solving techniques, so that you and your partner can better self-soothe and maintain positive patterns that can lead to a lifetime of happiness. My intention is to be a real person in the room with you that cares about you, and creates a safe space for you and your partner to share all of your current thoughts, concerns, and struggles. Together, we will identify and set goals by determining what you both want for your relationship, marriage, and yourselves; as individuals. Once we have a clear idea of where you are, and want to be, I will tailor treatment to what is most needed for you and your journey towards – and in – marriage; based on your respective Love Languages and Enneagram Tritype and more. By establishing patterns that are both productive and authentic, we can further ensure the lasting change that you deserve and hope for; even well after you have stopped seeing me. Whatever is learned during the session will be practiced between sessions as well, so that we can continue to refine the approach. I utilize various techniques that promote increased awareness, understanding, self-esteem and empowerment within the relationship. One technique that I am specifically trained in that is geared toward the treatment of couples is the Gottman Method, which includes specific assessments and techniques to be used both inside and outside of session; some of which are specific to premarital counseling. I am also currently working towards certification for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for the treatment of couples and marriages; so that I may be of even better assistance to you on your journey.

Methods I Use in Premarital Therapy

Gottman Method

The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that assesses various areas of your marriage and integrates research-based interventions to help couples overcome obstacles and achieve greater understanding, connection, and intimacy in their marriage. In our sessions together, I will use various techniques from the Gottman Method to assess which areas could use the most support and provide techniques that best fit the obstacle(s) at hand. For more information about the Gottman Method for the treatment of married couples, visit the website for the Gottman Method Institute.

Emotionally Focused Therapy

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a structured approach to couples therapy developed by Drs. Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg in the 1980s. It is grounded in research while focusing on negative communication patterns and love as an attachment bond. In our sessions together, I will use evidence-based techniques of EFT to improve how you communicate in your marriage, and the love that bonded you in the first place. For more information about EFT for the treatment of married couples, visit the ICEEFT website.

Enneagram

The Enneagram is a personality assessment tool that is extremely useful in improving personal self-knowledge and personality development, offering a powerful tool for self-mastery, conflict resolution, team dynamics, leadership and emotional intelligence. I have been certified in the Enneagram, Enneagram Tritype, and Instinctual Types and Subtypes by Katherine Chernick Fauvre, the creator of Enneagram Tritype; who also just so happens to be my mother. Having grown up around this unique form of personality diagnostics I have applied and studied the Enneagram throughout my personal and professional life, and I am very passionate about using its power to help couples. I am not only able to help you and your spouse better understand each other’s motivations and communication styles, but also provide a better understanding of the very important characteristics that make you YOU. For more information about Katherine Chernick Fauvre, the Enneagram, Enneagram Tritype, and/or Instinctual Types and Subtypes, click the corresponding link(s).

Premarital Counseling in San Diego, CA

If you’re ready to tip the marriage success odds in your favor and learn more about my premarital counseling and therapy services, please use the form above or call (858) 634-0502 for a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Spencer Chernick, LMFT
ADHD, Teen & Couples Therapy
5330 Carroll Canyon Rd Suite 120,
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 634-0502

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