Loving your partner is an obvious component of a happy marriage. Liking your partner beyond the hype of engagement stories, marriage plans, and the novelty of a new life together is a less obvious component for many couples. After the glitter settles and the wedding gifts stop arriving, you’re left with two people having to navigate the new road where differences in opinions, pace of maturation and growth, and expectations of marriage become more apparent. Pre-marital counseling can support engaged couples in identifying key individual differences and structuring potential ways of alleviating relationship stress.
For example, after a strenuous day at work where your boss had some less than ideal feedback of your work, how would you preferably spend your time post-work hours? Some might respond by saying they’ll call a friend to vent or lounge around at home alone or go for a long run to alleviate the stress of the day.
Fast forward to post wedding day. How does your response to a terrible work day change or stay the same? Will your partner expect you to share your day and delete the long solo run and if so how do you feel about that? It is likely that there will be a few changes to your life that will feel less than blissful. Therefore, finding ways to communicate your words lovingly, express your emotions supportively, and cope with these changes more actively, can help to prolong a healthy partnership and a healthier you!
One important way of preventing an excess of disagreements post-wedding bells is to take a brief peek into the future with someone who’s trained to ask insightful questions and is capable of providing effective support. While we cannot guarantee a married life of only blissfulness and giggles we can provide the tools to help you see your future through a clearer lens.