Chances are either you or your spouse feels too little hope or energy to start traditional couples counseling. You may have tried that road before. Discernment Counseling is specially designed for couples where one spouse in leaning towards divorce and the other wants to preserve the marriage. Couples like this don’t do well in traditional marriage counseling that aims at solving marital problems. They need a different approach.
The focus of Discernment Counseling is not on solving marital problems but on seeing if they could potentially be solved. Sessions involve separate conversations with each spouse, as well as time as a couple. Discernment Counseling is short term, just 1-5 sessions, and leads to a decision to either divorce or give the marriage a major last effort, with a clear agenda for change.
Who is Discernment Counseling For?
- People considering divorce but not sure it’s the right path for them.
- People who want to take one more look at their relationship before making a permanent decision.
- People who want to give their marriage another chance even though their spouse is moving toward divorce.
What Can Be Gained From Discernment Counseling
- Gain clarity and confidence about what steps to take next with your marriage
- Understand what has happened to your marriage
- Look at three sides of your problems: yours, your spouse’s, and an objective professional’s perspective
- Evaluate the possibility of solving your problems and staying married
- Decide whether to move towards divorce or make a last all-out effort to restore you marriage to health
