No. 1Couples & Marriage
Why Premarital Counseling Is Worth It
Most couples put months into planning a wedding and very little into planning a marriage. The wedding lasts a day. The habits you build in the first few years tend to last a lot longer.
Premarital work isn’t about hunting for problems. It’s about catching patterns early, while goodwill is high and nothing has hardened yet. It’s much easier to learn to fight fair now than to unlearn ten years of bad habits later. Think of it like getting the car ready before the first Omaha ice storm.
Couples who complete my Pre-Marital Package report learning how to maintain a strong friendship, keep negativity low, cope with outside stress, sidestep common marital pitfalls and keep a positive view of each other. They also gain confidence handling the arguments, bickering and disconnection that every couple runs into.
No. 2Couples & Marriage
How My Gottman-Based Premarital Counseling in Omaha Works
My Pre-Marital Package is based on the work of Dr. John Gottman, one of the world’s leading researchers on what makes marriages succeed. It has three parts:
- A 90-minute assessment session. We review the history of your relationship, what drew you together and any concerns either of you has. You’ll each receive a questionnaire to complete and return to me.
- A 60-minute feedback session. I go over your questionnaire results along with my professional observations: your strengths as a couple and the areas that deserve attention.
- A 75-minute skill-building session. I tailor exercises to your relationship based on your assessment and feedback, so you practice the skills you’ll actually need.
“The goal isn’t to never fight. It’s to know how to fight fair, make up well and keep liking each other for the next fifty years.”
No. 3Couples & Marriage
Topics We Cover Before You Say “I Do”
Every couple is different, but these conversations come up again and again. The package is educational in nature rather than psychotherapy, so the focus stays on preparation and skills.
- Money. Spending, saving, debt, joint versus separate accounts, and who pays which bills.
- Family and in-laws. Holidays, boundaries and how much input each family gets. Yes, including whose turn it is for Thanksgiving.
- Kids. Whether, when, how many, and how each of you pictures parenting.
- Roles at home. Chores, careers and what “fair” looks like to each of you.
- Conflict. How each of you handles disagreement, and how to repair after a fight.
- Intimacy and affection. Expectations around closeness, sex and romance after the wedding glow fades.
- Values and dreams. Faith, traditions and what you each want your life together to mean.
No. 4Couples & Marriage
Second Marriages, Blended Families and Newlyweds
Premarital counseling isn’t just for first-time couples in their twenties. If you’re remarrying, you may be bringing children, an ex and some hard-won lessons into the new marriage. We’ll talk through step-parenting expectations and how to protect your relationship while blending two households.
Already married? Newlyweds are welcome. The first couple of years are a great time to set healthy patterns, and the package works just as well a few months after the wedding as a few months before.
Expecting a baby? My Pre-Baby Couples Counseling Package helps you iron out differences and strengthen communication before your newborn comes home.
