Build a Strong Marriage Before Problems Begin
Getting married is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make.
Premarital counseling gives you the opportunity to slow down, strengthen your relationship, and have important conversations before you say “I do.”
Whether you’re newly engaged, planning your wedding, or simply talking seriously about marriage, premarital counseling can help you better understand one another, improve communication, navigate differences, and build a healthier foundation for your future together.
I provide premarital counseling for couples throughout Virginia through secure virtual sessions, with limited in-person appointments available in Vienna.
Who Benefits From Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling isn’t just for couples experiencing problems. In fact, many of the strongest relationships begin therapy before major issues arise.
Premarital counseling may be right for you if you want to:
- Improve communication before marriage
- Learn healthy conflict management skills
- Discuss finances, parenting, religion, or family expectations
- Strengthen trust and emotional intimacy
- Identify potential areas of conflict before they become long-term problems
- Feel more confident about your decision to marry
What We'll Talk About
Every couple is different, but common topics include:
- Communication styles
- Conflict resolution
- Stress management
- Money and financial expectations
- Relationship roles and household responsibilities
- Relationships with extended family
- Intimacy and affection
- Career goals
- Shared values
- Expectations and beliefs about marriage
- Decisions about parenthood
- The role of religion and spirituality in your marriage (if applicable)
- Your family-of-origin backgrounds and how these impact your relationship
- Your personality similarities and differences, and how these impact your relationship dynamics
- Short and long-term goals you share as a couple
My Approach to Premarital Counseling
I use the Prepare/Enrich program for premarital counseling.
It is a structured, evidence-based 8-session counseling program which helps identify both your relationship strength and growth areas.
The basic steps are:
- Complete your initial couples therapy assessment session (90-min): Here we’ll discuss your background, relationship strengths and weaknesses, as well as determine if the Prepare/Enrich program is a good fit for your needs.
- Complete an online relationship checkup before returning for session #2: There is a $35 fee per couple for this that goes to the program developers. Together, we’ll review your relationship assessment results and use them to guide meaningful conversations about your relationship.
- Complete the 8-session program at your own pace: Each session will have a different relationship focus. You’ll also complete homework assignments in between sessions.
I strongly believe in Prepare/Enrich and the science behind it.
Every couple that I’ve used it with has found great value in the program and many have reported using the skills and materials long after completing it.
Rather than simply checking a box before your wedding, the goal is to help you develop skills and understanding that will continue benefiting your marriage for years to come.
What To Expect
Premarital counseling begins with learning about your relationship, your goals, and the areas you would like to strengthen before marriage.
Sessions are collaborative and practical.
Along the way, you’ll receive guidance, feedback, and exercises designed to help you continue your conversations between sessions when appropriate.
Every couple moves at a different pace, so we’ll work together to determine the frequency of your sessions and if you need extra session time beyond the typical allotted time for premarital counseling (usually 1 assessment session + 8 program sessions).
Why Invest in Premarital Counseling?
Preparing for a wedding often receives months of planning. Preparing for a lifelong marriage deserves at least as much attention.
Premarital counseling gives you an opportunity to strengthen your relationship before life’s inevitable challenges arise.
Many couples find that investing in their relationship before marriage increases confidence, deepens understanding, and creates healthier patterns that benefit them long after the wedding day.
Unlike some states, Virginia does not require premarital counseling before marriage. Many couples choose it voluntarily because they want to strengthen their relationship, improve communication, and address important topics before they become long-term problems.
Premarital Counseling Throughout Virginia
I provide premarital counseling for couples throughout Virginia through secure virtual sessions.
This allows couples to access specialized support regardless of where they live, including Northern Virginia, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, and surrounding communities.
For couples who prefer to meet in person, limited appointments are available at my Vienna location.
Traditional Couples Therapy
For some couples, the Prepare-Enrich program may not be the best fit for their premarital counseling needs.
Some couples are low in their overall relationship satisfaction and have more serious issues that need to be addressed before marriage – issues which cannot be addressed adequately within the premarital program sessions.
For example, infidelity, severe communication problems, or long-standing intimacy problems.
If this is the case for you, you may:
- Do premarital counseling using traditional couples therapy instead of the Prepare-Enrich program, or
- Do traditional couples therapy and plan to complete the Prepare-Enrich program later as a way to prepare for marriage.
For more about traditional couples therapy, click below.
Your questions, answeredFAQs About Premarital Counseling
Prepare-Enrich is a program designed for marriage preparation (for engaged couples or those thinking about marriage) and marriage enrichment (for couples who are already married).
It is the main approach I use for premarital counseling.
For detailed information about it directly from the creators, click below:
See current session fees.
There is also a one-time $35 fee to complete the required online relationship checkup at home before session #2. This fee is per couple and goes to the program developers.
If budget is a concern – as it is for many couples who are paying for wedding expenses, honeymoon travel, etc – we can discuss spacing the sessions out to help you afford the full program.
Ideally, begin several months before your wedding. This allows enough time to explore important topics without adding unnecessary stress as your wedding date approaches.
Premarital counseling is best for engaged couples who are getting married within the next 6-24 months.
It also works well for seriously dating couples who are thinking about marriage.
If you are on a tight time frame, we can discuss how you can finish the program quickly or you can opt to begin it before your wedding and complete the remaining sessions a few weeks post-wedding.
Most I’ve worked with have found the program useful and choose to complete it in full even if they have to space it out over several weeks.
No. Many couples choose premarital counseling while discussing marriage or deciding whether they are ready for that next step.
The full Prepare/Enrich program can be done in 8 brief sessions. My brief sessions are 50-minutes each.
I require all couples to start with a 90-min initial assessment session and then we will begin the program at session #2 if it’s a good fit for you and your partner.
(If it’s not a good fit, for example, there are severe relationship problems that need attention we will begin traditional couples therapy at session #2.)
In total, couples who do Prepare-Enrich with me should plan for 9 sessions: 1 assessment session + 8 program sessions.
Some couples also opt to schedule follow-up sessions after completion of the program. This is completely up to you and your partner but not a requirement to do the program.
I work with a wide variety of couples and strive to create a respectful, nonjudgmental environment where both partners feel heard.
My practice welcomes:
- Married and unmarried couples
- LGBTQ+ couples
- Polyamorous relationships
- Couples from diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds
Every relationship is unique, and my goal is to understand your values, your goals, and the challenges you’re facing – not to make assumptions based on your background or relationship structure.
While I respect clients of all faiths and belief systems, my therapy services are not religiously based. However, you’re welcome to incorporate your faith into our conversations.
That’s exactly what premarital counseling is designed to help with.
The goal isn’t to eliminate every disagreement but to help you communicate more effectively, understand one another’s perspectives, and make thoughtful decisions together.
Yes. I provide virtual premarital counseling for couples throughout Virginia, along with limited in-person appointments at my Vienna location.
If you have more questions about premarital counseling with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a free phone consultation.
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Appointment Hours
10:00am - 8:00pm
Both virtual & office sessions available
Telephone
Address
243 Church St NW
Vienna, VA 22180
