Online premarital counseling
Build a Stronger Start to Marriage
Build a stronger start to marriage with a structured, practical program that helps you understand one another and prepare for real life together.
Book a free 15 to 20-minute fit call
More than wedding planning
Your wedding is one day. Your marriage is the life you build after it.
Getting engaged brings a lot of happy attention to the wedding. You may be making decisions about family, travel, finances, a ceremony, and the countless details that turn a plan into a day you will remember. Premarital counseling creates room for a different kind of preparation: the relationship you will be living in after the celebration is over.
Love and commitment matter deeply. They are also not a complete plan for handling busy careers, different habits around money, new children, family boundaries, stress, intimacy, or the ordinary conflicts that arrive in every long-term relationship. The goal is not to predict every future challenge. It is to help the two of you build a better way to meet those challenges together.
I work exclusively with couples and offer online premarital counseling throughout Michigan. You can meet from a private place that works for both of you, making it easier to protect this time even when you live in different cities or have full schedules.
The work is structured, honest, and practical. Rather than offering broad advice about what a good marriage should look like, we focus on your strengths, your expectations, and the conversations that will matter in your own life together.
A thoughtful start
Premarital counseling can help you prepare to:
- Talk more openly about expectations for money, family, work, faith, friendship, intimacy, and time together.
- Recognize the ways each of you handles stress, disagreement, closeness, and the need for independence.
- Build habits of listening and repair before small frustrations become larger patterns.
- Make decisions as a team when you do not immediately see a situation the same way.
- Understand the strengths already supporting your relationship and protect them as life becomes more demanding.
- Enter marriage with more confidence that difficult conversations can be handled with care.
A structured six-session program
Use what is true about your relationship to prepare for the future.
I have been a certified Prepare-Enrich facilitator for more than 25 years. The program begins with an assessment that each partner completes separately. It helps us identify the strengths you already have, the areas where your expectations may differ, and the conversations worth having before marriage.
The assessment is not a test you can pass or fail. It is a way to start with a clearer picture of the relationship, so your sessions are not spent guessing at what deserves attention. We use the results to guide focused conversations and activities around the subjects most relevant to the two of you.
My counseling background and couples-only practice add depth to that structure. You will have room to ask direct questions, notice patterns that may otherwise stay hidden, and practice a more respectful way to address a concern before it turns into a fight or a long silence.
Learn about Prepare-Enrich ↗What you can take with you
Useful preparation is not about avoiding every problem.
Strong preparation helps you meet problems without making one another the problem. You may not agree about every decision, but you can learn to recognize the difference between a disagreement that needs attention and a pattern that starts pulling you apart.
By the end of the program, couples often have clearer language for what helps them feel understood, a stronger sense of how to bring up concerns, and more confidence in their ability to return to one another after a hard conversation.
Know what each of you expects
Unspoken expectations (I call them “silent killers!”) can create disappointment even in a loving relationship. You will have a place to talk through the practical and emotional assumptions that shape daily married life.
Handle differences with more care
Conflict is not a sign that a relationship is failing. The important question is whether you can stay respectful, hear what is underneath the disagreement, and work toward a response that considers both people.
Protect the friendship in your marriage
Marriage needs more than efficient problem-solving. We also pay attention to the habits of appreciation, curiosity, warmth, and shared purpose that help a relationship stay connected over time.
Online throughout Michigan
A format that makes time for the relationship.
Online sessions can make premarital counseling easier to fit into a season that is already busy. You can meet from home, a private office, or another quiet space without adding a long drive to a week full of work and wedding plans. It can also be a practical option when you live in different parts of Michigan.
You will need a reliable internet connection, a private place to speak openly, and a device with a camera and microphone. A computer or tablet is usually easiest when I am sharing something on screen. Both partners need to be physically in Michigan when we meet.
The setting may be online, but the work remains personal and focused. You will have the time to slow down, listen carefully, and talk about the life you want to build together.
To get the most from each session, set aside a private block of time and join from a place where neither of you is likely to be interrupted. That gives you space to stay with a meaningful conversation, reflect on it together, and avoid rushing through it between the next task on your list.
Choosing the right path
Start with support that fits where you are now.
When you are preparing for marriage
Premarital counseling is designed for engaged couples who want a structured way to understand one another, build useful skills, and enter marriage with more confidence.
When the relationship is already in distress
If the immediate concern is recurring conflict, distance, or broken trust, couples therapy may offer the more direct place to begin.
When one partner is unsure about staying
If one of you cannot honestly commit to building the relationship right now, discernment counseling creates space to sort through that decision without pressure to stay or leave.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with engaged couples anywhere in Michigan?
Yes. I offer premarital counseling by secure video to couples who are physically in Michigan when we meet. Online sessions can make it easier to protect time for this work while you are managing careers, wedding plans, travel, or a long distance between homes.
What happens in the six-session premarital program?
Before the first session, each partner completes a Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment separately. In the first meeting, we review what it shows about your relationship. The remaining sessions use those results to guide conversations and practical activities around the areas that matter most to you.
How much does premarital counseling cost?
Premarital counseling is private pay. Sessions are $300 for 75 minutes, and the full six-session program is $1,500 when paid in advance. View current rates and payment details.
Is this the right fit if one of us has been married before?
It may be. A fit call gives us a chance to talk about your situation, what you hope to prepare for, and whether this program is the right next step for both of you.
Your next step
Start building the marriage you want to come home to.
A free fit call gives you both a chance to ask questions, share what you hope to prepare for, and decide whether this program is right for you.