Premarital Counseling in Metairie

Building Us is a New Orleans premarital counseling service that helps couples explore common issues, learn new communication skills, and support each other before and after their wedding. Our 10-session program includes 6 premarital counseling sessions and 4 follow-up sessions to help you build a solid foundation for a healthy marriage. Sessions last 50 minutes and are scheduled based on your wedding timeline.

Premarital sessions cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Family-of-origin relationships

• Marital roles and expectations

• Sexual hopes and desires

• Joint financial planning

• Balancing careers, family, and children

• Healthy communication

Our follow-up sessions help couples navigate the first year of marriage, which can be full of new challenges and adjustments. We’ll be there to support you as you learn to communicate effectively, resolve conflict, and build a deeper connection with your spouse.

Session 1: Healthy Security – Building Trust

• Assessing your relationship health

• Discussion of healthy relationships

• Exploration of secure marital love

Session 2: Healthy Connection – Building Intimacy

• Creating and maintaining closeness and connection

• Assessment of availability and responsiveness to each other

Session 3: Healthy Communication – Building Teamwork

• Understanding why communication deteriorates

• Using “Us” meetings

• Communicating about tough subjects

• Exploring our financial management plans

***As an add-on service, you can also meet with Erik Garcia, Certified Financial Planner

Session 4: Healthy Family Boundaries – Building Peace

• Exploring family-of-origin patterns

• Establishing a boundary around our marriage

• Enjoying & Accommodating extended family 

Session 5: Health Sexuality – Building Desire

• Exploring expectations & desires

• Identifying sexual hurts

• Cultivating passion

Session 6: Healthy Vision – Building our Future 

• Balancing togetherness & separateness 

• Planning for children and change

• Living with work stress

Session 7-10: (during first year) Healthy Negotiations – Building Problem Solving Skills

• Finding Solutions & Building on Strengths 

• Negotiating Differences 

• Fighting Fair & Repairing Injuries

• Maintaining “Us”