PREPARE is the most widely used premarital counseling program in the country, and I've been a certified facilitator for over 20 years. If you're engaged and want to give your marriage the strongest possible foundation before you begin, this is where I'd start.
Is This Right for You?
I recommend PREPARE for couples where neither partner has been married before, and where the relationship is in a good place — meaning you're not dealing with significant ongoing conflict or serious unresolved issues. If you're unsure which category you fall into, reach out and we'll figure it out together on a quick call.
How the Program Works
Before our first session, you'll each complete a thorough online relationship assessment. It's designed to give us a clear picture of both the strengths you're bringing into the marriage and the areas that are worth addressing before you begin. Starting with that data means we can get right to work in session one rather than spending the first few meetings just getting acquainted with where you are.
The program is six sessions, each 60 minutes. Insurance doesn't cover couples or premarital counseling, so it's cash pay at $200 per session. If you pay in full by the third session, the total is $1,000 — essentially one session at no charge.
Why Work With a Counselor and Not Just Clergy?
Most PREPARE facilitators in the country are clergy, and a pastor may offer to do this with you for less — or even free, if they're performing the wedding. That's a meaningful option, and I don't dismiss it.
But there's a real difference in what you get when the person facilitating the program is a licensed counselor who specializes in couples work and has been doing this for over two decades. The questions the assessment raises — about communication patterns, conflict styles, expectations around money, intimacy, and family — are exactly the questions a couples specialist is trained to sit with and help you work through at depth. That's not a knock on pastors. It's just the reality of what's possible with different training.
Premarital counseling done well is an investment in the rest of your life together. You won't regret it.
