Premarital Counseling in Washington DC & Maryland
Start a new chapter with intentionality
You’re considering getting engaged, planning to get married, or deciding that you’re ready for a different level of commitment to your partner.
Congratulations! This is a big deal!
Premarital or precommitment work has two main focuses: the skills and the topics. Together, we will work to build your toolbox for communication, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution. Then we’ll address the important topics, to make sure you both feel aligned and secure entering this new chapter. As your therapist, I will guide you through these conversations, while coaching you in using your newly developed skills.
Sample Topics
Communication & Conflict Resolution
How do you each communicate when you're feeling hurt, overwhelmed, or misunderstood? What happens when you disagree? We'll work on practical tools for navigating difficult conversations while staying connected to one another.
Sex and intimacy
Intimacy can change throughout a relationship, and couples don't always find it easy to talk about. Premarital counseling can provide a supportive space to discuss expectations, desire, affection, communication, and the role intimacy will play in your relationship.
Money and finances
Money can carry a lot of meaning—and it can become a source of conflict if couples haven't talked openly about expectations. We can explore spending, saving, debt, financial goals, and the ways each of you approaches money.
Family and boundaries
Marriage often means navigating two families, different traditions, expectations, and boundaries. We'll talk about what you learned from your childhoods and how you want to handle relationships with parents, siblings, and extended family.
Parenting & Future Planning
Whether you're certain about having children, unsure, or somewhere in between, it can be useful to explore your hopes and expectations around parenting, family life, and the future.
Values, beliefs, and long-term goals
What matters most to each of you? Where do you already align, and where might you need to make room for differences?
We'll create space for conversations about values, spirituality or religion, lifestyle, career, community, and the kind of life you hope to create together.
About PREPARE/ENRICH
I am a certified PREPARE/ENRICH facilitator.
PREPARE/ENRICH is an evidence-informed relationship assessment and educational program designed to help couples better understand their relationship.
Depending on what makes sense for you, we may use PREPARE/ENRICH as part of our work together to identify areas of strength, explore differences, and create opportunities for meaningful conversation.