In any endeavor, dreams and goals not backed by concrete plans and preparations can result in failure. And marriage is no exception, claims H. Norman Wright. In fact, without solid planning and forethought by engaged couples, we will surely see a continuation of the startling divorce rate among Christians and non-Christians alike. On the other hand, thorough premarital counseling and preparation can result in lifelong marriages that are fulfilling and God honoring. That's where the church comes in. More and more churches are realizing that their responsibility lies not only in pronouncing men and women 'husband and wife,' but also in making sure the proper foundation is laid so that marriages have a better chance of standing strong under pressure. Since its introduction in 1977 as Premarital Counseling, this book has been used by literally thousands of churches throughout the country as both a guide and reference tool. Now Dr. Wright has added new material to cover some perplexing issues that have come into prominence only recently. Among those special concerns are: Interracial marriages Second marriages Marriages of persons from dysfunctional families Writing for both pastors and other premarital counselors, H. Norman Wright sets you at ease about the counseling process, even if you've had only limited counseling experience. As the author of the popular Before You Say I Do and numerous other books on marriage, H. Norman Wright documents in The Premarital Counseling Handbook methods hat have proved successful. These will help insure that the marriages performed in your church will resist the pressures that are destroying today's married couples.

A lack of solid planning and forethought by engaged couples will result in a continuation of the startling divorce rate. Thorough premarital counseling and preparation, however, can result in lifelong marriages that are fulfilling and God honoring. Considered by many to be the standard in the field, Premarital Counseling has been used by thousands of churches and counselors throughout the country as both a guide and reference tool. With a Bible in hand, Wright ensures the proper foundation is laid so that marriages have a better chance of standing strong under pressure.

Tying the Knot by Rob Green offers soon-to-be-married couples a practical vision of Christ-centered marriage that is realistic, hopeful, and actionable. With homework to help any counselor or couple put crucial lessons into practice, Tying the Knot is a highly relevant premarital counseling book. This eight-session study guides couples through issues like conflict, expectations, communication, finances, and intimacy, showing how each can be successfully resolved with Christ at the center of the marriage. Knowing the stresses and needs of a couple in their season of engagement, Green has helpfully designed the study to require a manageable (and healthy) 60 minutes of at-home work per session, with questions and exercises to build communication and intimacy at the end of each chapter. Tying the Knot also includes an appendix for mentors, making it easy for a married couple, lay leader, or counselor to lead an engaged couple through the book. Field-tested and recommended by multiple counselors in a thriving counseling practice, Tying the Knot has already guided many couples into a stronger and more joyful union. Let this eight-week premarital study reorient your life and marriage around Christ, so you both will experience all the blessings of marriage as God designed it.

"How to Counsel a Couple in 6 Sessions or Less" makes it easier to counsel couples over a brief period of time, but also addresses major marital issues of communication, family issues, decision making and more. This highly practical resource for pastors - or anyne in ministry - can be used with "The Marriage Checkup Questionnaire" or as a stand alone tool for quickly diagnosing problems and referring couples to a professional, as necessary.

A guide for therapists and counselors, Pre-Marital Counseling addresses the common problems couples face when starting or considering marriage. This step-by-step guide teaches specific intervention strategies for common pre-marital problems, such as financial stress, blending families, and mental health issues. It also teaches readers helpful skills such as developing empathy, learning to compromise, and communicating successfully, all within a potentially diverse client population. Skurtu further helps clinicians personalize their assessment and treatment plans for each couple so that they have realistic expectations. Written by a certified sex therapist, there is also a unique chapter on helpful sex education tips for maintaining desire in long-term relationships.

Are You Planning a Wedding or Preparing for a Marriage? Like most engaged couples, you’re researching venues, trying on dresses and picking out tuxedos or suits, tasting sample dishes, dreaming of honeymoon destinations, and doing everything to ensure your wedding day is the event of a lifetime. But as more seasoned couples will tell you, there’s more to a marriage than a wedding. A lot more. How do you build a marriage that you’ve dreamed of? Dr. Greg Smalley, vice president of marriage at Focus on the Family, and his wife, Erin, along with 14 marriage experts, serve as your marriage guides as you prepare for life beyond the wedding day. From how to handle those everyday conflicts to how to better connect on a spiritual level, they’ll show you how to get ready for a lifetime of commitment. When the flowers have faded and the last morsel of cake has been eaten, you’ll stand with your new spouse, ready to face life together. Equip yourself for a marriage that lasts by learning: How to leave your parents (while still honoring them) and cleave to your spouse Why spiritual intimacy is key to a lasting relationship Why the language of love is communication (and how to build it) How to manage conflict in a healthy, God-honoring way Why sexual intimacy in your marriage will be the gift that keeps on giving Invest in a marriage that will last for decades. Are you ready?

OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD! With this updated edition of their award-winning book, Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott help you launch lifelong love like never before. This is more than a book--it's an experience, especially when you use the his/her workbooks filled with more than 40 fun exercises. Get ready for deeper intimacy with the best friend you'll ever have. Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, which has been translated into more than 15 languages, is the most widely used marriage prep tool in the world. Why? Because it will help you . . . Uncover the misbeliefs of marriage Learn to communicate with instant understanding Discover the secret to resolving conflict Master the skills of money management Get your sex life off to a great start A compelling video, featuring real-life couples, is available, and with this updated edition, Les and Leslie unveil the game-changing SYMBIS Assessment. Now you can discover how to leverage your personalities for a love that lasts a lifetime. Make your marriage everything it is meant to be. Save your marriage--before (and after) it starts.

Following the success of the first two editions of this book, the authors have updated their indispensable guide on the process and content of premarital counseling. The book is filled with practical and effective hands-on questionnaires and instruments that have been newly revised and widely tested by the authors.

Marriages are in trouble today. That is clear. Effective mothods of combating this trend are less evident. Counselors, pastors and social workers need more than mere theories or mere moralizing. They need a practical and comprehensive model for understanding couples and their problems. They need a throughly Christian perspective that is biblical, compassionate and human. Everett Worthington provides this in an integrated, biblically based theory of marriage and marriage therapy with analysis at three levels: the individual, the couple and the family. The model he has constructed, with techniques drawn from the major psychological schools, is standard enough to guide counselors in actual interventions and powerful enough to produce change. A thoroughgoing overview of the assessment process includes practical, workable guidelines for: creating realistic, mutually-agreeable goals for counselor and clients; estimating the number of sessions needed to reach those goals; and planning the actual assessment, intervention and termination sessions. Next Worthington offers specific techniques for enhancing cooperative change, intimacy, communication, conflict resolution and forgiveness within the marriage. But keeping couples from slipping back into old patterns is one of the counselor's most difficult tasks. So Worthington concludes with suggestions for solidifying change and effectively concluding the counseling relationship. Here is a text that will be a standard for counselors, pastors and mental health professionals in the years to come.