WHO WE ARE
Preparing before you say “I do” can help you understand your partner better, deepen your relationship, and give you tools to help you through the rest of your marriage.
At Steady Hope Counseling, our Atlanta premarital therapists are here to help you and your partner build a strong foundation for your marriage using the evidence-based Prepare/Enrich model and the SMYBIS assessment. Contact us when you’re ready to take this proactive step for your relationship.
Meet Your Atlanta Pre-Marriage Therapists
.png)
.png)
.png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
What to Expect from Premarital Counseling
Steady Hope Counseling can provide a structured six-session premarital/pre-engagement counseling package. This includes an assessment prior to the first session and the six sessions. Our therapists are trained and utilize the Prepare/Enrich model and assessment, as well as the SMYBIS assessment.
Note: If you live in the state of Georgia, completing certified premarital counseling can provide you with a discount on your marriage license.
Step 1: Assessment
The assessment provides feedback on your relationships' strengths and growth areas as well as other invaluable insights into current stress levels, relationship dynamics, and a brief personality report.
Step 2: Structured Sessions
During our sessions, topics include discussions around strengths and growth areas, tools to manage conflicts, intimacy, tools around finances, identification of relationship values, and discovery of what “normal” means to your relationship and what works for you both. Though we have a structure of topics we like to cover during these sessions, there is some flexibility based on each couple.
Step 3. Continued learning
The skills you learn in premarriage counseling can help you and your partner for years to come. Even years into marriage, there are still tools and things that my partner and I (Kim) learned through our premarital counseling sessions that we regularly implement. These tools add so much worth and understanding to our relationship.
“Even years into marriage, there are still tools and things that my partner and I learned from our premarital counseling sessions that we invest into and add worth to our relationship.”
Common Topics Addressed in Premarital Counseling
-
Learning how to communicate openly and honestly, especially when things get tough
-
Understanding your different conflict styles and how to navigate disagreements without shutting down or blowing up
-
Talking about money, finances, and how you'll make decisions together
-
Navigating relationships with in-laws and extended family while protecting your relationship
-
Exploring intimacy, connection, and what you both need to feel loved and valued
-
Discussing future plans around kids, careers, where you'll live, and what life will actually look like
-
Understanding how past relationships, family dynamics, or trauma might show up in your marriage
-
Clarifying roles, expectations, and who does what in your day-to-day life
-
Blending families, co-parenting, and navigating relationships with exes, if applicable
-
Integrating faith, spirituality, and shared values into your relationship
How Premarriage Therapy Can Help
Build communication skills that actually work
Premarital counseling helps you develop practical tools for expressing your needs, listening to understand rather than to respond, and navigating difficult conversations without defensiveness. You'll learn how to create safety in your relationship so both of you feel heard and valued, even when you disagree. These skills become the foundation for resolving conflict and staying connected through all of life's ups and downs.
Understand your patterns before they become problems
We all bring our own attachment styles, family dynamics, and past experiences into our relationships—often without realizing it. Premarital therapy helps you identify these patterns early, so you can understand why you react the way you do and make intentional choices about how you want to show up in your marriage. By creating awareness now, you avoid being blindsided later.
Create a shared vision for your future
Marriage isn't just about the wedding day—it's about building a life together. Premarital counseling gives you space to have the important conversations about kids, careers, money, family, faith, and what you both want your life to look like. You'll learn how to make decisions together, honor each other's dreams, and create a roadmap that feels authentic to both of you.
Strengthen your foundation with trust and security
The therapeutic relationship you build in premarital counseling mirrors what creates safety in marriage: trust, vulnerability, and being truly seen. You'll learn how to create emotional safety for each other, repair when things go wrong, and develop the kind of secure attachment that helps you weather life's storms together. This foundation makes all the difference when challenges inevitably arise.
