Take the extra step on your relationship journey with the following Pre-Marriage Counselling tips.
Pre-marriage counselling in Australia is not compulsory for weddings conducted by celebrants. It is something a couple can choose to do. One of our obligations, though, is to inform our couples where they can find information about counselling before marriage and provide them with the ‘Happily Ever Before and After’ brochure.
As celebrants, we are not allowed to counsel our couples but can point them in the right direction of where to access it. Let’s remember, your wedding day is full of fun and love, and you need to make sure that your marriage will survive all the years after your wedding day. Are you both on the same page about your future?
Happily Ever Before and After Brochure
Both parties to the marriage are to receive a copy of the brochure below:
https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/happily-ever-before-and-after.pdf
The document covers a variety of important pieces of information regarding marriage in Australia. This includes:
- The process of getting married in Australia as regulated by The Marriage Act 1961
- Marriage Education before marriage, family counselling during marriage and family dispute resolution should there be a marriage breakdown
- Legal consequences of marriage, including a change in health and welfare benefits, citizenship, changing your name, taxation and making a will.
In short, make sure you’re aware of the changes that can occur once you are married.
Relationship Counselling
Should you choose to engage in counselling prior to or during your marriage, there are many options available to you, especially now that many practitioners are conducting telehealth appointments. If you are looking for options, you can start by:
- Googling ‘pre-marriage counselling near me’
- Ask your GP for any referrals
- Speak to a local psychologist
- Couples Therapy Melbourne
- Relationships Australia Victoria
- Relationship Matters Counselling & Mediation
- Or click on the above links
What to Expect in Counselling
Whilst each counsellor is different and each couple is different and there are group programs and couples only sessions, the sort of matters that may be raised in sessions include:
- Discuss any pre-existing issues
- Check that you have the same values with money, family plans, beliefs
- Do your future plans align?
- Improve communication skills
- Give each a chance to have their say
- And raise any other issues before you marry
So, it’s all exciting that your wedding day is coming up and you can’t wait to celebrate. But if you feel the need to rectify some issues in your relationship, pre-marriage counselling might be for you. It is certainly not compulsory and is a personal choice.
Not unlike choosing a celebrant. If you’re after a fabulous celebrant, please jump online and book me in!
Photo Credits: Unsplash
