A Clinically Grounded Premarital Process
Premarital therapy at ERC is rooted in decades of relationship research and thoughtfully tailored to each couple’s unique dynamic. The process begins with a comprehensive assessment and continues through focused, skill-based sessions. Each phase is designed to support realistic understanding and intentional relationship development.
Assessment & Relationship Overview
The process begins with a joint session where both partners meet together with the clinician. This conversation explores the story of the relationship, including how you met, what drew you to one another, and how the relationship has developed over time.
Each partner then completes the Relationship Checkup, a comprehensive, research-based questionnaire developed by the Gottman Institute. This assessment explores key areas of the relationship, including:
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Friendship and emotional connection
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Intimacy and trust
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Conflict patterns
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Values, goals, and commitment
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Practical domains such as finances, household roles, and family dynamics
Assessment results are reviewed in a dedicated feedback session. This session highlights current strengths as well as potential areas of vulnerability, creating a clear and grounded foundation for the work that follows.
Strengthening the Friendship System
Couples participate in structured sessions focused on strengthening the relationship’s friendship system, including:
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How partners stay emotionally connected over time
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Expressions of fondness and admiration
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Ongoing curiosity and engagement with one another
Practical tools are introduced to support sustained connection and awareness as the relationship continues to grow.
Understanding and Managing Conflict
Premarital therapy also addresses how couples experience and respond to disagreement and stress. Sessions focus on:
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Identifying recurring conflict patterns
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Increasing understanding of each partner’s perspective
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Learning skills to remain engaged during difficult conversations
When appropriate, couples work through a specific unresolved issue together. This allows them to practice effective communication and emotional regulation in real time, with professional guidance.
Problem-Solving and Compromise
Couples learn to distinguish between:
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Solvable problems
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Perpetual challenges rooted in individual differences
Structured tools are used to support healthy compromise. The goal is to honor each partner’s core needs while maintaining stability, respect, and mutual understanding.
Shared Meaning & Rituals of Connection
The final phase of premarital therapy explores how couples create shared meaning over time. This may include developing intentional rituals around:
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Daily connection
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Life transitions
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Celebration and loss
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Care during stress or illness
The emphasis is on building practices that reflect the couple’s values and support a strong, lasting partnership.
Clinical Orientation & Next Steps
Premarital therapy at ERC is not designed to guarantee outcomes or predict success. It is a structured, research-informed process that supports couples in entering commitment with greater clarity, preparedness, and professional guidance.
Fees are determined by the education, training, and experience of the clinician providing services.
To determine whether premarital therapy is the right fit, a consultation is recommended.
If you are seeking a structured, research-based approach to relationship or individual therapy, a consultation can help determine whether ERC is the right fit.
*If you are insured with Medicaid, due to state laws, you must see a Medicaid provider or risk losing your insurance coverage.
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