What is Prepare/Enrich Premarital Therapy? Part 1
With over 35 years of research and experience, Prepare/Enrich is currently one of the leading premarital counseling frameworks for couples. As the name suggests, Prepare/Enrich strives to prepare couples for their next chapter of life while providing tools and resources for the couple so that their relationship can become more enriching.
In the beginning of the premarital counseling process, each individual in the couple takes their own assessment (30 minutes). The Prepare/Enrich assessment is one of the most widely researched assessment tools, and it allows for the therapist to create a personalized premarital counseling plan that is unique to each couple. There are no “supposed tos” or right or wrongs in this process. The assessment is simply an objective way for the therapist to have a better understanding of the couple’s inner workings and uniqueness.
While each premarital journey will look different, there are six main goals that the Prepare/Enrich modality strives to achieve:
Exploring couples strengths/growth areas
Strengthening communication skills
Identifying and managing major stressors
Resolving conflicts
Developing a more balanced relationship
Maximizing teamwork.
The following series of blog posts will go deeper into these six goals, in hopes of giving those who are curious a better understanding of what the process could look like!
This first post will delve deeper into the first two goals: Exploring couples strengths and growth areas, and strengthening communication skills.
Exploring Couples’ Strengths and Growth Areas
After taking the Prepare/Enrich assessment, the couple will have the opportunity to reflect on their personalized strengths and growth area results that were collected in the assessment process. The strengths and growth area categories range from relationship roles and communication to financial management and leisure activities. This goal is crucial, as it not only highlights the strengths the couple already possesses, but it also makes room for constructive conversation about how the couple can continue to grow and evolve as they move forward in the relationship. Exploring strengths and growth areas is often the first goal to set in premarital counseling, as it ensures that the couple's wants and needs are prioritized in the therapeutic process.
Strengthening Communication Skills
As for the next goal, it goes without saying that communication skills are a must in not only a marriage, but in any intimate relationship with another human being. The Prepare/Enrich process provides the couple with multiple resources and opportunities to strengthen communication within the relationship. For example, one activity that is often used in Prepare/Enrich is called Creating a Wish List. This activity focuses on assertiveness and active listening. While one partner works on assertiveness by expressing their feelings and asking for what they want in the relationship, the other partner works on listening and reflecting to create a more empathetic environment. This task may seem elementary, and sometimes it may even feel that way. However, simply cultivating and rehearsing a new way of communicating may make a big difference in the long run.