If you are wondering what happens in marriage counseling and what to do to prepare yourself for the first session, it depends on what type of marriage counseling you are attending.
If you are going to traditional marriage counseling, you’ll probably have to go through a whole history about yourself and your relationship either before you arrive or during your first session.
You are likely to sit facing the therapist and talk about your gripes with each other. The therapist may offer advice or just sit and listen. Sounds a little scary huh? And it can get much worse than this but we are hoping that you are working with someone qualified.
If you are working with a Certified Imago therapist, you’ll probably not have to do too much intake over the phone as the history doesn’t matter so much.
We aren’t here to figure out who is the one with the problem. We are here to help you learn how to relate to one another in a safe and connected way.
You’ll sit facing each other, because your relationship is the focus. We’ll have you talk to each other instead of about each other. You’ll have a structured and safe process so that we can make the experience as calm as possible, given the circumstances.
You’ll need to come in with an open mind, a willingness to take part in the process, at least during the session.
We realize that marriage counseling can be a potentially scary and uncomfortable experience. We aim to make it as safe and pleasant as possible so you can be a little bit more at ease as you prepare yourself for the first session.
