Premarital counseling

Couples, no matter how happy, may desire to have premarital counseling.

Premarital counseling is often required by officiants, especially ones from religious institutions, in order for a couple to be married. Many states also give monetary discounts on the marriage license if a premarital course is completed.

Premarital counseling can have a free-form or structured schedule. Some larger places of worship may hold premarital retreats or courses. Some officiants do the counseling themselves while others require the couple see a licensed psychologist. Most premarital counseling is designed to help the couple discuss issues that may come up in their marriage such as child-rearing, needs and expectations, money issues, communication issues, and intimacy.

Some counselors may have the couple take a compatibility test to encourage discussion.

Many premarital counseling programs require participants to take a test. Some couples become intimidated by this test and try to give answers they think they should rather than the answers that are the most true. Premarital counselors use the test as a tool to help the couple through the counseling and not as any sort of judgement on the couple. Therefore, it is within the couple's best interest to give truthful answers to the questions.