Premarital Counselling in Mississauga
For couples who are engaged, newly married, or still deciding, with a Registered Psychotherapist who spends most of her week with couples years into marriage.
Who Comes to Pre-Marriage Counselling
Some couples come because things are good and they want to keep them that way. They've heard the stories about the conversations married couples avoid for ten years, and they'd rather have them now.
Others come because one argument keeps coming back. It might be money, or how much his mother gets a say, or who does what around the house. One of you has started keeping quiet to keep the peace, and the other has noticed.
And some come with a doubt they haven't said out loud. Everyone around you is excited, the deposits are paid, and the closer the wedding gets, the harder it is to ask whether this is right. That question is welcome here.
WORKING WITH ME
Built Around Your Relationship
I'm Sherriden Brown. Most of my work is with couples years into a marriage, and that's why I like premarital work: I know what the fights in year ten look like, and most of them are visible before the wedding if you know where to look.
We work with real disagreements from your own life, and I'll show you the pattern the two of you fall into so you can catch it early.
MY PROCESS
What Happens in Pre-Marital Counselling
We start with a free call, then you come in together. There's no workbook and no script. The topics come up on their own once we're talking: money and debt, in-laws and how much say they get, sex, whether and when to have kids, and how you each expect to spend your weekends.
What I'm listening for is what happens between you when you disagree. Most couples have one pattern that shows up whatever the subject, and by the second or third session you'll be able to see it too.
I use Emotionally Focused Therapy, which means we go underneath the argument to what each of you is actually asking for, and practise saying it in a way the other one can hear.
What Your Future Could look Like
The First Years of Marriage, With Fewer Surprises
The fight about the in-laws still happens sometimes. Now you both know what it's really about, and you can get back to each other in an hour instead of three days.
When one of you goes quiet, the other knows to ask instead of assuming the worst. You've already had the conversations about money and kids that most couples put off, so when life tests them, you're not starting from scratch.
WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO
Booking Pre-Marital Counselling in Mississauga
Between the venue, the guest list and two families' opinions, this should be the easy part. Here's what sessions cost, where we meet, and when I'm available. If this was one partner's idea, that's common, and either of you can book the call.
Fees and Insurance
Each 50-minute session is $230. OHIP doesn't cover psychotherapy, but most extended health plans do, and I bill them directly. Either partner's plan can be used.
In Person or Online
My office is in Port Credit, a few minutes' walk from the GO station. Online sessions are open to couples anywhere in Ontario, which helps when you're planning a wedding from two cities.
Session Times
Weekdays between 9 and 6. You can book online, and most couples start a few months before the wedding.
Already Married?
If the wedding has come and gone and you're noticing the same patterns, marriage counselling picks up where this page leaves off. Book a free 15-minute call and we'll work out which fits.
FAQs
Questions About Counselling Before Marriage
Most couples have never done this before and aren't sure what they're signing up for. These are the questions I hear most often on the first call.
Do we need to have problems to come?
No. Most couples who come for premarital counselling are doing well and want to keep it that way. The conversations we have are the ones that tend to get harder to start once you're married.
What if one of us has doubts about getting married?
Bring them. Doubts before a wedding are common and rarely get said out loud, because everyone around you is celebrating. In sessions we can look at what the doubt is about. Sometimes that leads to a clearer yes, and sometimes to slowing things down, and both are better found now than after.
Do you use a questionnaire or assessment?
No. We work from your real disagreements rather than a questionnaire, because the pattern between you shows up faster that way. If your officiant or church needs a specific program, ask me on the free call and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.
Is this a marriage preparation course?
No. A marriage preparation course is usually a set curriculum, often run through a church, and some come with a certificate. This is counselling tailored to the two of you. If you need a certificate for your ceremony, check with your officiant first.
When should we start before the wedding?
Three to six months before gives you room to work without the wedding crowding it out. Later than that still helps, and you don't need to be engaged to start. Some couples come while they're deciding whether to get engaged at all.
Can you help if we come from different faiths or cultures?
Yes. I don't offer faith-based counselling, and I work with couples from different backgrounds often. Differences in faith, family expectations and roles are some of the most useful things to talk through before you marry, and we'll take them at the pace you need.