What are relationship counselling tools?

PREPARE/ENRICH premarital and marital counselling tools are based on a comprehensive relationship questionnaire that is filled out by each member of the couple. There are no right or wrong answers. The goal is to identify a couple’s strengths and the areas for growth within their relationship. The questions touch on all aspects of a relationship.

What’s the first step in using the counselling tools?

The couple’s answers are analyzed by comparing each individual’s answers to the other’s, as well as to the most current marital- or premarital-counselling research. We then create a detailed report of the information, or an “inventory” of the couple’s strengths and challenges. The inventory is expressed in easy-to-understand text and clear graphics.

The PREPARE/ENRICH report covers 10 distinct areas that are important to healthy relationships. These categories include communication, conflict resolution, finances, sexuality, spirituality, couple closeness, parenting and couple goals.

What happens next?

A PREPARE/ENRICH-trained professional counsellor explains the results of the detailed report. With the couple’s challenges identified, the counsellor uses six exercises to strengthen the couple’s skills in communication, managing their major challenges, and resolving conflict. This takes place during three or more feedback sessions. The couple also receives a 24-page Couple Workbook to use for completing the couple exercises, or for revisiting them.

Professional training for relationship counselling tools

We recommend that every professional interested in using our marital or premarital counselling tools attend a one-day seminar or obtain the self-training package to learn how to administer and interpret the reports that are generated from the questionnaires.