So, you’ve got the ring, the venue, and the guest list all set. But have you considered another helpful part of wedding preparation? Premarital therapy.

Unfortunately, many couples think that therapy is the “last stop” before divorce and only something you consider when your relationship is in crisis. What if we looked at therapy, especially premarital therapy, as an enjoyable and protective strategy to support the success and longevity of our relationships?

At Artemis Psychology, we use Prepare-Enrich, which is a proven, evidence-based assessment tool to explore a number of crucial topics found to help couples better understand themselves, their partner, and their relationship. Topics such as communication, parenting, finances, intimacy, conflict resolution, managing extended family, and others are included. Our premarital therapy structure involves about 5 to 8 sessions on average, but many couples choose to extend it!

When you get engaged, it’s easy to get lost in the details of the wedding. Should we really invite that long distance cousin that we haven’t seen in years? Is the photographer worth that much money? But those are only questions you should be asking for the wedding, not for the marriage. Here are five things we recommend you do before you get married to prepare for a healthy and fulfilling relationship with your partner.

Many relationships fail because of the lack of intimacy in a relationship. The most detrimental thing you can do in a relationship is to become roommates and strangers. It's easy for life to get in the way and the relationship to take a back seat. As a relationship therapist at Authentic Connections Therapy and Wellness, I have seen this happen time and time again.

Research studies show time and time again that healthy relationships are a key factor in overall life happiness. So, what makes for happy healthy relationships? There is a lot of bad information out there of what this type of relationship looks like. Social media and romcoms would have us believe that strong chemistry and a great couple selfie in Greece is the recipe for a lifetime of happiness. While these may be #coupelgoals they are not the most important aspects of a relationship.

Premarital or pre-commitment counseling is an essential part of a happy healthy long-term relationship. It has been shown to lessen rates of divorce by 30%! If you think premarital counseling may be a good fit for you and your partner, the next question you may ask yourself is when should we start? Let’s dive into the benefits of starting at different points in your relationship!