Couple Counseling vs. Premarital Counseling: Which Is Best for You?
Couple Counseling vs. Premarital Counseling: Which Is Best for You?
For couples who want to improve their communication and connection, counseling can be a great solution. There are two types of counseling available: couple counseling and premarital counseling. We explore the many differences between the two and reveal how to choose the right option for your needs.
What Is Couple Counseling?
Contrary to popular belief, engaging in couple counseling by no means indicates the relationship is in trouble. Couple counseling in San Diego helps partners in a romantic relationship to strengthen their bond. This option can be used to repair a relationship, but it can also be ideal for couples who want to end their relationship in a healthy way.
What Is Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling helps couples build a strong foundation prior to marriage. Marriage counseling in San Diego assists engaged couples with identifying potential problems and preventing small issues which could become serious problems in the future. This type of counseling also helps couples identify their marital expectations.
Differences Between the Two Counseling Types
Although many areas of couple and inexpensive marriage counseling overlap, there are significant differences between them.
Couple counseling focuses on:
- Communication issues and behavioral patterns that are negatively impacting a relationship
- Preventing negative patterns from eroding and dissolving the relationship
- Providing insight into negative patterns and behaviors
- Helping couples identify problems and use strategies to change behavior
- The teaching and application of a goal-oriented approach to building trust, support, and respect
Premarital counseling focuses on:
- Helping each partner to see their relationship in a more objective manner
- Any cultural issues which may negatively affect the marriage, and how to manage them
- Improving communication by teaching couples how to converse and express thoughts openly
- Teaching couples to understand the strengths in a relationship for the purpose of building resilience prior to marriage
- The comparison of personal values, financial topics, and similar items so that potential future issues can be identified and resolved
How to Know Which Type of Therapy Is Best
Both couples counseling and premarital counseling offer many benefits to each partner, which can make it difficult to know which is best for your relationship.
Couple counseling can be a beneficial choice if you are experiencing:
- Frequent conflicts
- Financial differences
- Infertility, sexual, or intimacy issues
- Past failure to resolve conflicts without counseling
A marriage therapist in San Diego may be ideal if you want to:
- Build a strong foundation for marriage
- Prevent future problems by identifying potential areas of difficulty
- Better understand and appreciate differences in personality
- Be able to recognize the warning signs of problems
- Address topics that are common conflict triggers
Matthew Bruhin & Associates Can Help
The right relationship counselor in San Diego will use a direct but non-judgmental approach to help each partner reveal areas of insight and personal growth. Matthew J. Bruhin & Associates motivate couples to strengthen their relationships for a joyful and lasting connection. Explore your options by claiming your free consultation at 619-683-3774.
