EXPLORE THE BENEFITS OF PREMARITAL COUNSELLING BEFORE TYING THE KNOT
Are you planning to get hitched this year? Have you considered going for premarital counselling before you take that lifechanging step? Premarital counselling is not a new concept at all, but a recent announcement by Goa government has brought it into the spotlight. Referring to a rise in the number of divorce cases, the Goa government has decided to come up with a policy to make premarital counselling mandatory.
Seeking the help of trained counsellors before marriage can help foster a strong relationship through the later years. If you are wondering how this works, counsellor Shivani Misri Sadhoo points out that there are many issues that couples face after marriage, and some can be tackled beforehand, minimising friction later on. Recommending couples to invest six months in premarital couple therapy, she elaborates, “Dealing with an issue before marriage is different from dealing with it after you’ve tied the knot. I believe instead of jumping off the ship, just think twice before boarding it.”
Sadhoo further adds, “During premarital counselling, we discuss maintaining and restoring a relationship. A lot of subjects are covered — sex, children, family, finance, independence, emotional dependability and more.”
Agreeing with its importance in today’s day and age, relationship expert Jai Madaan says, “In India, people match horoscope as a way to check mental, social, physical and emotional compatibility, right? Premarital counselling is just the scientific way to ensure compatibility after marriage.” In relationships, we often suppress emotions to make other person comfortable, which can lead to unhealthy expectations. Madaan stresses on the need to portray one’s original self and feels that counselling can help in the same.
And experts agree that the need for relationship counselling is greater amid the pandemic. “Relationship issues have increased during the pandemic, as people become more irritable and less tolerant amid the continuing challenges of restricted space, autonomy and work-life imbalance,” says Jyoti Kapoor, senior psychiatrist.
And premarital counselling can help you and your partner develop a deeper understanding towards each other that will make room for a healthier relationship, even during crises like the current one. Life strategist Arpita Bhandari says, “It equips you with the tools that are required to deal with any rift that may come in between you and your partner. It will encourage you to draw boundaries and to adhere to them.”