Proactive pre-marital counseling

Proactive couples get pre-marital counseling.

Why? Because they know that every relationship has problems. In fact, close relationships usually stir up a lot of issues in us.

Typically, relationship problems fall under the following categories (not in any order of importance): commitment,
trust, communication problems, power struggles, money problems, intimacy and sex.

These problems feel scary, looming large over your relationship, threatening to harm your relationship. You deal with them in an atmosphere of tension and distrust. You experience them as a destructive force that pulls the two of you apart.

But you don't have to work against each other. Instead, you can become more skilled at working with each other.

And you certainly should not try to sweep relationship problems under the carpet. As you become better at dealing with them together, you actually feel closer as a couple, with a more solid relationship.

See also: Marriage counseling

Couple Communication Exercises

Audio:
Relationship skills