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Thinking About Marriage?

How a Marriage Counselor Can Help

Do you wonder why counseling would help you? Well, counseling is nothing more than advice, and we all need a little of that from time to time.

With the many issues you are busy working out regarding your pregnancy and marriage, you and your partner may need some solid marital advice. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for a counselor.

You’re Getting Married?
As soon as you mention marriage, relatives you did not even know were alive will offer opinions and advice. That is good, because some of the best advice is what we call “kitchen counter” talk. It is usually just the stuff you hear over breakfast from your parents, or at the hairdresser from the ladies getting their hair done. In fact, if you let your hairdresser know you are getting married, she will strike up a discussion worthy of the Dr. Phil show.

Even though you may learn a lot from friends and relatives, consulting a counseling professional will probably help you even more. And though marriage counseling is probably the most common type of counseling, not just any counselor will be best prepared to help you in your particular situation.

In fact, the type of counselor who can probably help you most can be found at a pregnancy counseling center or a family planning clinic, because they usually have specialized experience working with young people and the issues they face. These counselors typically are also good at helping you and your partner address any special challenges you may face as a result of the solutions you have chosen for your pregnancy. When you are considering marriage, their services are usually free of charge. If you are already married and need marriage counseling, they will usually provide services on a sliding scale adjusted according to your income. To find a good counselor, look in your yellow pages under “Pregnancy Counseling and Information” or “Abortion Alternatives,” or ask your high school counselor or clergyman for a referral.

One of the other advantages of these counselors is that they know a lot about adoption, single parenting, and abortion, as well as marriage. So in case you do not end up getting married, a counselor can help you work out another option.

Married
In addition to receiving counseling, you may benefit from befriending other married couples who face similar struggles, challenges, and successes. You’ll understand each other and may find that facing common problems together is a lot easier and more fun than facing them alone.

Developing friendships with other married couples often results in the camaraderie husbands enjoy during a “guys’ night out” or that you experience during a trip to the shopping mall with friends. In some areas, there are even organized support groups for young married couples, which your counselor can help you find. It can be all rather informal, yet very helpful.

Seeking good counseling and gaining the insight and support of other married couples will be an invaluable source of help to you and your partner as the two of you make plans for your future together.

“Counseling is nothing more than advice, and we all need a little of that from time to time.”

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