Premarital
A few structured conversations before the wedding, about the things couples usually find out the hard way in year two. It is not therapy, and it does not assume anything is wrong.
Our office, on Shoal Creek across from Pease Park. Sessions here or virtually, anywhere in Texas.
Premarital work isn't a repair job. It's not a test you can pass or fail. It's a handful of honest conversations at a time when you have goodwill, and reason to think carefully about the life you're building together. The subjects aren't mysterious; you just don't always get a reason to talk about them this clearly until now.
Money, and what each of you assumes about it.
Family of origin and patterns you've become accustomed to
Intimacy & sex
Communication skills and conflict resolution
Roles and expectations
Faith & values
Children and family planning
Career and life goals
Leisure & connection
A defined piece of work with an end. Eight sessions is standard, and we flex between six and ten depending on what a couple actually needs.
Both of you are welcome at every stage, including the first call.
The consultation: A free, twenty minute phone call, and both of you are welcome on it. We work out whether this is the right fit and answer the practical questions before you commit to anything.
The assessment: You each complete it separately, online, before your first or second session. Your therapist will guide you through the process.
The sessions: Six to ten sessions, shaped by the information gained from the assessment. We'll cover your strengths and growth areas, and guide you through helpful conversations.
Ellen Johnson
MA, LPC | Clinical Director
A defined piece of work, with an end. Eight sessions is standard, and we flex between six and ten depending on what a couple actually needs. You'll work through the subjects that shape a marriage — money, family, communication, intimacy, faith, and more — using a structured assessment (Prepare/Enrich) alongside the conversation itself, so nothing important gets missed by accident. These sessions are often filled with joy and connection, and while a few hard topics may arise, it's overall an encouraging and uplifting experience. Our hope is that you walk away feeling more connected and equipped for the Decades ahead.
Prepare and Enrich
Early on, you'll each complete the Prepare/Enrich assessment — a research-based questionnaire you take independently, without comparing answers first. It's been used by millions of couples and looks at where you're aligned and where there's room to grow across a dozen key areas of your relationship. Your therapist uses the results not as a scorecard, but as a map. A way to make sure the conversations that matter most actually happen, instead of the ones that are easiest to have.
Our clinicians are trained in Prepare/Enrich and use it as the spine of Premarital Counseling work.
There is a version of Prepare/Enrich that integrates Christian Faith. If that is important to you, please let us know.
Church premarital programs are often good, and they're usually free — so if yours is working, there's no reason to pay for this. Where couples tend to come to us instead is when they want someone outside their community, when a subject feels too private to bring to a mentor couple they'll see every Sunday, or when they want it handled clinically rather than pastorally.
No. We work with couples of every background and belief — or none at all. If faith is part of your relationship, we can talk about how it shapes the life you're building together. If it's not, we won't bring it up.
That's not really what the assessment measures. What it shows is where you agree, where you don't, and what might be worth a real conversation before the wedding rather than after. Every couple has areas of difference — that's not a red flag, it's just information. Nobody is going to tell you not to get married.
No. Some couples do this while deciding rather than after. It is the same work.
It depends on how many sessions you do. Eight is standard, but that's flexible. Because the scope is agreed up front, the total is knowable before you start rather than open-ended. We can go through the numbers on the consultation.
Appointments Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, in person in Central Austin (across from Pease Park) or virtually across Texas. Weekends are sometimes available, so please ask if that works better for you.
No. The practice does not bill insurance directly, and premarital work is not usually something insurance covers in any case, because there is no diagnosis behind it.
Or send us the details
We will respond within one business day.
Twenty free minutes, both of you welcome. We tell you what it involves, what it costs, and answer your questions. You decide from there.
Book a free consultationPick a time that suits you, sometimes as early as today.
We talk through what you are looking for, and what you're hoping to gain.
You leave with a recommendation to work with someone on our team, or a referral to another resource in the area. Either way, you won't be back at square one.
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