Key Takeaways
- Evidence-Based Foundation: Utilize the PREPARE/ENRICH assessment to identify specific relationship strengths and growth areas through a data-driven roadmap.
- Proven Success: Research indicates that couples who complete premarital counseling are 30% less likely to divorce and report significantly higher long-term marital satisfaction.
- Affordable Options: We offer affordable counseling services through our internprogram, making high-quality premarital prep accessible during expensive wedding planning.
- 1 Day Couples Intensives: These are condensed, economical options for couples.
- Cost Transparency: The assessment requires a one-time $35 fee paid directly to the platform, followed by session rates that vary based on your choice of a senior or intern therapist.
- Clinical Oversight, Liz Fava, LPC: is the founder and Clinical Director of Fava Counseling Associates. As a Level 3 Gottman Trained therapist, Prepare-Enrich trainer, and Clinical Supervisor, she provides oversight for the premarital program, ensuring that every couple receives research-backed, compassionate guidance. You can verify her credentials via her official NPI registry page.
What is Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling is a specialized, proactive form of therapy designed to help engaged couples prepare for the emotional and practical transition into marriage. In the context of mental health, it serves to strengthen the relational bond by addressing potential conflict areas—such as finances, family roles, and communication—typically following evidence-based frameworks to ensure long-term stability.
At Fava Counseling, our premarital counseling services are designed as a roadmap for your future. While wedding planning often consumes your calendar, these sessions ensure you are investing just as much energy into the marriage that begins after the wedding day ends. Standard professional practice suggests that the skills learned here act as “relational insurance,” providing you with the tools to navigate life’s inevitable stressors before they cause significant friction.
By engaging in this process, you are moving beyond the logistics of a single day and focusing on the “we” that remains when the flowers wilt and the music stops.
Find our Step by Step Timeline for Premarital Counseling here!
Why Is It Normal to Feel Anxious About Counseling?
Feeling anxious about premarital counseling is a natural response because it requires vulnerability and the courage to discuss sensitive topics that couples might otherwise avoid. As a therapist, I often see couples worry that counseling will “uncover a deal-breaker” or suggest their relationship is “broken.” In reality, this discomfort is a signal of how deeply you value your partner and your future together.
In my years of practice, I have sat with over 1,000 Atlanta couples who felt those same “pre-session jitters.” I want you to know that our goal is to provide a soft landing for those fears. We don’t look for what’s “wrong”; we look for how you can become an even stronger team. When you walk into our office, you aren’t entering a courtroom; you’re entering a workshop where your relationship is the masterpiece we are refining.
The PREPARE/ENRICH Assessment: How Does It Work?
PREPARE/ENRICH is an evidence-based relationship assessment and counseling framework used to identify a couple’s unique strengths and growth areas across 12 distinct categories. In the context of premarital therapy, it serves to provide a data-driven roadmap for long-term marital success, typically following a customized online questionnaire and feedback sessions.
According to the official PREPARE/ENRICH research, over 4 million couples have used this program to gain clarity on their relationship. Unlike generic “compatibility quizzes,” this assessment is customized. It adapts to your specific situation—whether you are a first-time couple, blending a family, or living together before marriage.
The Financial Aspect: There is a one-time $35 fee paid directly to Prepare/Enrich. This generates a 10-page “Couples Report” which we examine together in session. This report acts as a mirror, reflecting your current dynamics so we can navigate them together with precision.
The 12 Core Relationship Categories
The assessment evaluates your relationship across several “scales,” including:
- Communication: How you share feelings and information.
- Conflict Resolution: Your patterns for handling disagreements.
- Financial Management: Alignment on spending and saving habits.
- Sexual Relationship: Expectations for physical intimacy and connection.
- Family & Friends: The influence of external social circles and in-laws.
- Relationship Roles: Expectations regarding household and career duties.
- Spiritual Beliefs: Common ground regarding faith and core values.
10 Clinical Benefits of Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling offers a wide array of benefits that extend far beyond the wedding day. By investing in this process, you are “future-proofing” your relationship.
- Improve Communication Skills: Master the art of active listening. As the old adage warns, “unexpressed expectations are premeditated resentments.” We teach you how to express needs before they turn into frustration.
- Resolve Conflict Effectively: Learn “fair fighting” rules that ensure the relationship wins over the argument.
- Align on “The Big Five”: Proactively discuss the core pillars of marriage: Money, Parenting, Intimacy, Roles, and Values.
- Establish Healthy Boundaries: Determine how you will prioritize your spouse while maintaining respectful boundaries with in-laws.
- Identify Relationship Strengths: Use your report to celebrate what you already do well, building momentum for growth.
- Address Role Expectations: Clarify “who does what” to prevent the “resentment gap” in the first year of marriage.
- Deepen Emotional Intimacy: Create a safe space for the most honest conversations you’ve ever had.
- Discuss Parenting Styles: Align on discipline and core values before the journey of parenting begins.
- Develop Repair Strategies: Learn how to reconnect after a fight—the hallmark of successful marriages.
- Build a Shared Vision: Define the legacy and mission of your marriage together through a “State of the Union” meeting routine.
The “Fava Model”: Integrating Gottman & EFT Principles
At Fava Counseling, we don’t just “talk through” a report. As a Level 3 Gottman Trained therapist, Liz Fava ensures our team integrates the gold standard of relationship research into our sessions. This means we look at the “Sound Relationship House” while reviewing your assessment.
Depending on your specific needs, we may also incorporate Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help you understand each other’s attachment styles. One of the most valuable aspects of our model is learning to identify the “Four Horsemen” (Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling) before they become entrenched habits. Every session is led by or supervised by a board-certified professional (NPI: 1952735326).
Breaking Generational Cycles: Why It Matters Now
Many couples come to us wanting to “do it differently” than their parents. Whether you witnessed high-conflict marriages or emotional distance growing up, premarital counseling provides the opportunity to break generational cycles.
By identifying your “Family of Origin” influences through the Prepare/Enrich assessment, we can examine the scripts you were handed about housework and love. We then help you write a new script that reflects the values you and your partner choose together. This is perhaps the most transformative part of our work—ensuring the “baggage” of the past doesn’t become the blueprint for your future.
Affordable Excellence: The Intern Tier
We understand that wedding costs can be overwhelming. However, we also believe that every couple deserves a strong start. To support our mission of making therapy accessible, we offer an Intern Tier for our premarital services.
Our interns are graduate-level therapists who are under my direct clinical supervision. This means you get the benefit of a senior-level clinical perspective at a fraction of the cost. It is an ideal way to receive high-quality, supervised care while staying within your wedding budget. Our affordable counseling options ensure that “cost” is never the reason you skip this vital foundation-building step.
Why working with an intern therapist is a smart financial move for new couples.
What Should You Expect During Your First Session?
During your first session, you should expect a warm, structured orientation to your PREPARE/ENRICH results. We prioritize your comfort, ensuring that neither partner feels judged.
- Initial Contact: You will first speak with our Intake Coordinator to ensure we are the right fit and match you with the best therapist for your goals.
- The Orientation: We get to know your unique history and your “couple story.”
- Reviewing the Report: We celebrate your “Strength Areas” first. It is important to know what is working well.
- Setting Goals: We identify the 2–3 “Growth Areas” to target for your 6 to 8 sessions.
- Practical Homework: You leave with actionable tools to practice at home, such as specific active listening exercises.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
Is premarital counseling worth it if we aren’t fighting?
Yes. It is much easier to strengthen a stable foundation than to repair one that has already begun to crack. Couples who start when things are good often develop higher levels of “relational capital.”
Is premarital counseling covered by insurance?
Premarital counseling is generally considered preventative wellness rather than the treatment of a mental health disorder. Because of this, it is typically not covered by insurance. We offer various flexible payment options and intern rates to make this investment manageable.
Is the program religious?
The Prepare/Enrich program is designed to be inclusive and flexible. It can be utilized in both faith-based and secular settings. Our counselors are skilled at adapting the program to align with your personal beliefs and spiritual journey.
What if my partner is hesitant?
It is common for one partner to be more eager than the other. We suggest framing it as a “strategic planning meeting” for your life together. Our approach is collaborative and non-judgmental, which usually puts hesitant partners at ease within the first session.
How do we get started?
The first step is simple. Book a Free Consultation with one of our premarital specialists to discuss your goals and choose the right counselor for your journey.
Medical & Health Disclosure
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider or licensed therapist with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Editorial Disclosure
Our goal is to provide objective, expert-verified information. While this article refers to the professional services of Fava Counseling and our affordable intern program, our primary commitment is to the integrity of the information provided to support your relational health.
4840 Roswell Rd., Suite C202, Atlanta, GA 30342