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Premarital counseling is a specialized type of therapy that helps couples prepare for marriage. By participating in premarital counseling prior to their wedding, couples can begin to build a healthy, strong relationship that helps provide a healthier foundation for their union. Premarital counseling can help couples of any gender, race, or religion identify and address potential areas of conflict in their relationship. Additionally, counseling can prevent small issues from escalating into serious concerns at some point in the future.
Premarital therapy also helps couples identify their expectations for the marriage and address any significant differences they might have.
What Are the Goals and Objectives of Premarital Counseling?
Common Issues Addressed in Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling addresses a broad range of topics, including these typical issues:
Benefits of Premarital Counseling
The many advantages of premarital therapy include:
Ethical and Legal Considerations in Premarital Counseling
For counselors, premarital therapy poses both ethical and legal considerations. Some issues to consider include:
Understanding the Scope of Practice & Responsibility
Premarital therapists must understand the scope of their responsibilities and conduct premarital therapy sessions accordingly. Therapists should not provide professional services that are beyond their field of expertise based on education, experience, or lack thereof. A counselor providing premarital therapy should have specific knowledge and expertise in this specific form of treatment.
Confidentiality
Patient Privilege
Therapists are obligated to protect their client’s information even when called upon to testify in legal proceedings. However, counselors must disclose some specific information, no matter how private, to the authorities, including when they believe that clients might harm themselves or others. The counselor should clearly explain the concept of patient privilege during the couple’s initial session.
