Things to Know About Pre-Marriage Counselling Sessions
Pre marriage counselling is important as a form of psychological preparation for couples who plan on getting married. It helps assess the compatibility of a couple and also increases their awareness regarding certain issues they will be encountering soon after they get married. Some religions require this before one can get their marriage licenses but some do not need it. However, it is still advantageous to be in one just so one would get a background about what to expect after the wedding.
What happens in a pre-marriage counselling session? First, one should get hold their psychologist of choice or any person in charge of doing the counselling in their area. In some government facilities, the counselling is done by selected individuals from the different departments of the government like social service, health department, and educational institutions. The appointment is set up and one must come on time for their designated schedules. Some counsellors might conduct their sessions for a group of couples at one time, but their might also be some who would do it by couple. Prior to the actual session, each of the partners would be asked to answer a series of multiple choice questions pertaining to different areas of married life. They simple have to write down the best answer for them. There are no right or wrong answers. It simply gives the couple something to think about, or something to discuss later on, particularly if they have not discussed any of the topics in that particular area. If the partners have been open to each other and have discussed these issues before, then it would be easy to answer them.
For example, in areas of money and finances, one question might ask about who will be in charge of budgeting. Will you be having a joint account? What do you expect your husband to do when payday comes? Another example in areas of childrearing and childbearing might be the number of children the couple wishes to have. If one partner is not able to produce children, will you be amenable to adoption, and if so do you want it to adopt from a relative or from an orphanage where you do not know the kid’s parents. There would also be questions like, who will be in charge of giving discipline to the children. In terms of living arrangements, have you decided on where to live after the wedding, or what if your in-laws would meddle with your affairs? Finally, there will be questions on more sensitive topics like sex, contraception, and more.
Through pre marriage counselling sessions, the couples become more prepared psychologically. Prior to their wedding, they could talk about their answers to each question and decide on a common ground for each issue. This promotes better communication and openness among the couples thereby preventing stressful situations. The counsellor could also walk them through on the proper course of action so that they become more prepared during the actual situation. The couples are also taught that marriage is a work in progress. Both have to work together to make it work.
