Before the Leap: Premarital Counseling

  • Before the Leap is a science-backed approach to pre-marital counseling. Strong relationships aren’t built by accident. Premarital counseling creates space for intentional conversations, deeper understanding, and a stronger foundation before the next chapter begins. Led by licensed mental health clinicians, BtL guides couples in having the necessary conversations in a thoughtful, skillful way. That way, not only are you discussing essential topics - you're also practicing the skills to keep having tough conversations over a lifetime.

    Couples leave feeling:

    • more confident handling conflict

    • clearer about their future

    • more prepared for hard conversations

    • aligned around values and goals

    • reassured about long-term compatibility

  • Couples come to BtL because they:

    • want to start marriage intentionally

    • communicate well with better tools

    • are navigating differences around family, money, religion, or future goals

    • want a secular, inclusive approach

    • value emotional growth and self-awareness

    • believe healthy relationships deserve care before a crisis

  • Studies on premarital counseling shows that pre-commitment workshops are great for relationships. Couples who have engaged in premarital counseling are 30% more satisfied in their relationships, report lower rates of conflict, and are less likely to get divorced. These benefits held true when researchers followed up with couples six years later.

    Research has found that being in a happy, lasting partnership makes us physically and mentally healthier. In fact, relationship satisfaction is a better predictor of a long life than genetics, cholesterol levels, or social class. In addition to living longer, it you also live a happier life: happy partnerships are linked to greater life satisfaction than money or fame, and reduced suffering in old age.

    Couples who participate in the BtL workshops report immediate skill development - 100% of participants reported feeling better able to manage conflict and communicate effectively after attending.

    The science is clear: investing in the health of your relationship pays off in the long run, for you two as a couple and for your own individual health and happiness!

  • Traditional pre-marital counseling approaches are typically completed in the year prior to marriage. While that is a wonderful time to do Before the Leap, we also know that commitment comes in many different forms, and believe there is no wrong time to improve your relationship. BtL is a good fit for couples who are deepening their commitment. For example, if you are:

    • Thinking of getting engaged/newly engaged

    • Newly married

    • Moving in together

    • Preparing to have children together

    • Buying a home together

    • Adopting a pet together

    • Merging finances

    • Considering restructuring your relationship

    then BtL is the right fit for you.

    BtL is for couples who are committed to moving their relationship forward and want to build healthy relationship habits as they do so.

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