With Barrington H.
Brennen, MA, NCP, BCCP, JP
Marriage and Family
Therapist, Counseling Psychologist
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How
Many Sessions for Pre-Marriage Counseling?
- Eight (8)
sessions before the wedding day. The sessions are spaced
between one and three weeks apart.
- One session six
months after the wedding day.
- One session one
year after the wedding day. (Session 9 and 10 are
follow-up sessions to simply evaluate the couple's adjustment
and growth in marriage).
When to Start Pre-Marriage Counseling?
-
Ideally, a couple
should begin pre-marriage counseling between six and eighteen
months before the wedding day. However, couples can begin
pre-marriage counseling sessions closer to the wedding day.
Note however, sufficient time is needed for effective
evaluation, assimilation, and application of information
learned. Simply call 1-242-327-1980 to make your first
appointment.
What is the Cost?
The cost for the
pre-marriage counseling session is the same as other sessions:
- $120 to $140
first session (The total cost include a workbook for
couples)
- $80 for all other
sessions
- $35 (one time
cost) for Prepare Enrich Inventory to discover relationship
strengths and growth areas.
Things The Couple Will Do
- During the first
session the couple will do two short questionnaires to discover
their readiness for a relationship.
- During the first
week (on their own time) the couple will do an online inventory
call Prepare Enrich to provide assessment.
- Before the
sessions are completed, couples are asked to go to their medical
doctors for a general health checkup. A form will be given
to them for this. This includes family history, personal
medical history and issues, blood type, etc.
- As a part of the
counseling process over eight sessions, the couple will do the
following and more: Write a couple mission statement, Build a
couple budget, Discuss contraception, Discus roles, Draft
schedule of chores, etc.
Co-Parenting/Blended/Step Family
For individuals
who are getting married and have children for another person,
the therapist will discuss the dynamics of blended families.
They will discuss deception, total self disclosure, how to
become one family, how to co-parent, how to manage dysfunctional
relationships, etc.
Topics
that will be Discussed During the Sessions
- God’s
plan for marriage (For faith believers).
- Religious
values (For faith believers).
- Roles
Exploration and Expectations
-
Sexuality. Contraception, sexual health, methods.
- Finances.
Couple Financial Planning, Budgeting.
- In-laws.
Prioritizing relationships.
- Health
and family planning. Family health history.
- Values
and goals.
-
Communication.
- Creative
problem solving.
- Love and
feelings.
- Leisure
time together and apart.
- Issues of
power and control.
- Intimate
partner abuse.
-
Parenting. Education, discipline, etc.
- Step
parenting/blended family life.
-
Forgiveness and trust.
- Avoiding
the pitfalls of the electronic media/texting, etc.
- Couple
closeness.
- Romance
and friendship, balancing time apart and together.
- Partner
style and habits.
- Starting
a home.
- The
wedding.
- The
honeymoon.
- After the
wedding.
- etc
The Wedding
- For couples who
are in need of a marriage officer,
Barrington
H. Brennen, who is a marriage officer for the Commonwealth
of The Bahamas, can also perform the wedding ceremony for a fee.
See this webpage.
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Copyright 1995, 2017, 2020, 2021 Sounds of Encouragement Association P.O. Box
CB-13019, Nassau, The Bahamas |