Engagement is a time filled with all the excitement and planning for the wedding and if a couple is wanting to lay a strong foundation for their marriage, it is also important to see this as a time of preparation for that as well.  My goal is to help you do just that.   

Through my coaching and workbook  you will begin to get a better view of what it will take to have a successful marriage and begin to gain the knowledge and tools to equip you on your journey together in one accord. 

Sessions that we cover over the 7 weeks will be: 

Session One:  Introduction

This opens with an interview where we will discuss what we will be covering.   This can be be directed in any way that will serve you.  Weekly or biweekly meeting are available but I suggest meeting every other week to give you some time to go through your assignments and come prepared to ask questions. 

I assign you a personal questionnaire that includes both your personal history and your history with your partner.  If you are interested you can also complete a DISC or a PIAV (these are optional).  DISC is a behavioral profile and PIAV stands for, Personal Interests Attitudes and Values.  Both of these are helpful and it’s kind of fun to see the results.   

Additionally, it might help you later on in life to refer back to:

“in the middle of missed miscommunication”

as a valuable tool to understand your mate better.

Session Two:  Debrief and Discuss Family History

We’ll go over the questionnaire and discuss experiences and family history and also look into how family affects the way we view life.

Session Three:  Expectations

We will be evaluating your relationship and look at how expectations play a role in our relationships. 

Session Four:  Authentic Communication

We will learn about the decision making process, building oneness through authentic communication and learning communication skills and practices that enhance your relationship; such as how to resolve conflict and simple communication tips that stand the test of time. 

Session Five:  Roles and Responsibilities

We will learn about roles and responsibilities as we move beyond cultural stereotypes such as the traditional versus modern view and your view on how that plays into a marriage.  This will also cover your religious beliefs and expectations concerning children and how they’re to be raised.  This will include discussing the choice to have children or not. 

Session Six:   Money and Finance

We’ll cover how you both view money and the issues that arise around this subject in marriage.  One of the number one problem issues in marriages is usually over money and finance.

Session Seven:  Sex and Intimacy

We’ll cover sex and intimacy:   another big issue in marriage.  We’ll be discussing how to understand your spouses needs and expectations that surround these issues.

Most couples today will spend thousands of dollars on an elaborate wedding and forget that the most important thing in preparing for that wonderful day is you.  You are the most important thing.  Long after the wedding day and all that it took to get there, what remains will be you and your partner and your life together.  Investing in your future and the legacy that you will leave will be one of the most lasting wedding gifts that you can give each other.

One of the most important aspects in premarital coaching is the commitment to finish the seven weeks course.  I can’t emphasize enough how important this is.    It can be a really fun time.  A time of discovery, challenge, risk, openness, trust and intimacy all the things upon which a marriage is built. 

So there you have it!

My “Sneak Preview” of what’s in store for you if you are interested in checking out this program  so you could be  really grounded and have a well rounded view of what marriage is really all about.

So tell me what you think so far? Does this sound like something you’d like to invest in with your fiancé? I mean think about it! This is the biggest step you’ll ever take!!

Let me know your thoughts on this post below, I’d love to have your feedback.  And if you want more information you can contact me @ 808.282.9260

I do a complimentary coaching session so you can test drive my style and see if I’d be a good fit for you

Author, Kathleen Reece, (CPBA, CPVA) is known as the “Relationship Coach” by couples around the world. Founder of Relationship Coach for You™ where she helps couples in groups, teleclasses and private sessions. As a professionally certified behavior analyst, she gives couples the communication tools and proven strategies they need to create close and intimate relationships.

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text is held by Relationship Coach for You™ and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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On an average most  engaged couples only  receive  a couple of premarital coaching or counseling sessions today before they get married. It is my feeling that is just not enough. Why do I say this? Well let’s look at some statistics.

Out of 3000 couples polled in a survey by Marriage Partnership Magazine, when asked “Did your premarital counseling help your marriage?” This is the breakdown from those who answered yes.

One counseling session received                         15 %
Two sessions received                                            31 %
Three sessions received                                         53 %
And Seven or more sessions received                 75 %

This speaks volumes to me, more than ever, about the importance of investing in your marriage with premarital coaching.

Let me give you a little bit of my story. I was raised Catholic and “back in the day” couples usually met with the priest and had one or two sessions with him. Now I know today the Catholic Church has an engagement encounter which I think is great but back in my day that wasn’t an option.  So, my fiance and I go to meet with this Irish priest for our first session and I can tell you that even today his words still resonate with both my husband and myself and we remember them very clearly.  The one thing he said that stuck out for us was always put your mate on a pedestal! Now I have to say at the very young age that we did marry I don’t think I had a clue what that meant nor would I for years.  But I have to say it stuck in our heads.

That being said, what I want to say is no matter how much premarital coaching or counseling you get, if you decide that it has value it will stick with you your whole life.  That is why I think it is so important to invest in your future with at least 6 sessions to get a really good idea and grip on what the future will hold for you and your fiancé.

After all, isn’t this the biggest step you are about to take in your life? And wouldn’t it behoove you to really see what you are getting into? Seriously!

Like I said before in an earlier blog post, “Before you say I do” couples get caught up in the wedding plans and all the excitement, not to mention the expenses and stress of the whole event. They forget to actually spend some time and energy preparing their hearts for the most important decision they will ever make.

That is why I have created and am so passionate about my Seven Week Premarital Coaching workshop.   I am committed to making a lasting contribution and hopefully a huge difference in the lives of the couples I coach.

So Stay Tuned…..

If you have any thoughts on what I’ve hared thus far, leave a post below and give me your feedback.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Author, Kathleen Reece, (CPBA, CPVA) is known as the “Relationship Coach” by couples around the world. Founder of Relationship Coach for You™ where she helps couples in groups, teleclasses and private sessions. As a professionally certified behavior analyst, she gives couples the communication tools and proven strategies they need to create close and intimate relationships. 

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text is held by Relationship Coach for You™ and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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June is a perfect time to bring up one of my biggest passions in life!

Since I am a Relationship and Communication Coach, it’s only logical that I place tremendous importance on being prepared before you enter into what I believe to be the most important journey you will ever take in your life.

I believe that today’s couples are ill prepared for what lies ahead in marriage. Often times, couples have even been living together and think they know one another, yet when it comes to tying the knot there is plenty they don’t know.

I think couples go into marriage with a ton of preconceived ideas, thinking that, “when we get married” any little or big concern (spoken or unspoken) will somehow magically take care of itself.

Well let me tell you, that is probably one of the first things I would want to talk to you about.

So let me ask you…What are your expectations about marriage?

I have a ton of questions actually that I would want to ask, and over the next few weeks I hope I will help you discover some of the ways that you could better prepare for the most important decision that you will ever make in your life.

To me marriage is a mystery. You bring two very different people together from two very different backgrounds and sometimes cultures and they commit to love, honor and cherish one another till death do us part.

But is that the way couples look at it today? One of the things that I see couples are missing today, is the willingness to do the hard work first, before they get married. Often times they choose to focus on the plans of the actual wedding day, spending tons of money, time and energy on making sure that every detail is perfect for that day. Forgetting that they are embarking on life’s most important journey together and they may be missing some very key understandings of what lies ahead.

Not that I’ve got all the answers here mind you, but I think I have some solid foundational tools that may really help support you in your commitment to this most important union.

So let’s start at the beginning….

Remember that old saying “LOVE IS BLIND”?!

Well, you may be aware of some negative characteristics in your partner, but you figure, “hey it won’t be like this after we’re married.”

Face it, we are idealistic,

We think, we’re different,

Our marriage will be perfect,

Right?!

Often times you are unaware of the potential problems, arguments and disagreements that so commonly occur in marriage.

So I’d like to help you create a strong foundation, to begin your new life together. My goal is to help you to replace your idealistic view of marriage with a more realistic and healthier view.

Having a more realistic view will help you to move forward together over life’s sometimes bumpy spots that will often happen in every journey. The road is not always smooth but the good news is “there IS joy in the journey!

Would you like to know more about how you can begin your journey together better prepared?

Was this interesting and possibly thought provoking? Did you gain some value or perk your interest?

I hope so. Let me know what you think about what I shared with you today. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Your Relationship Coach,
Kathleen

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The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text is held by Relationship Coach for You™ and licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Author, Kathleen Reece, Relationship Coach
The © Copyright to is content is held by Relationship Coach for You™ and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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