Premarital Counseling in Ridgeland, MS and Online Across Mississippi
The conversations you have now shape the marriage you build.
Stillwaters Counseling Group provides premarital counseling for engaged and seriously dating couples in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and online for couples located anywhere in the state. Using PREPARE/ENRICH, SYMBIS, and Gottman Method, our therapists help couples build a shared language for conflict, money, family, intimacy, faith, and expectations before marriage.
You may be here because you want to start well, not just hope it works out.
You love each other and you are excited. You have also noticed a few things: the argument that goes in circles, the topic one of you avoids, the family expectations neither of you has said out loud.
Maybe you watched a marriage up close that did not make it, and you want yours to be different. Or someone at church or in your family told you premarital counseling is worth doing, and you are not sure what it actually involves.
Couples who come in before marriage are not in trouble. They are doing the work while it is easier, before patterns harden and before the stakes get higher.
Who this helps
Who this is for
Engaged couples, couples with a date set, and couples seriously considering marriage.
Second marriages and couples blending families, where there is more history to work through.
Couples who want faith to be part of preparation, and couples who do not.
What we work on
What we work on
Conflict, how each of you fights and how to repair afterward.
Money, spending, saving, debt, and who decides.
Family of origin, what each of you learned about marriage growing up.
Expectations about roles, careers, children, and time.
Intimacy and affection, talked about honestly before the wedding.
Faith, if it matters to you, and how you will practice it together.
Blended families, for couples bringing children or prior marriages.
Our approach
How Stillwaters approaches premarital counseling
- 1
A structured assessment.
Depending on your therapist, you may each complete PREPARE/ENRICH or SYMBIS, which map strengths and growth areas so sessions focus on what matters for you as a couple.
- 2
Gottman Method skills
for how couples argue, repair, and stay connected.
- 3
Practice, not just talk.
You will practice hard conversations in session, so you have a way to have them at home.
- 4
Faith and spirituality, if you want them.
Many couples want their faith to be part of preparing for marriage, and some of our therapists integrate it directly.
Not every therapist uses every approach. Tell our intake coordinator what is happening and we will match you with someone whose training fits your situation.
Availability varies by therapist. It depends on which clinician you are matched with and how flexible your availability is. If you need to be seen sooner, say so when you call and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
Why it matters who you see for this
Premarital counseling is not a checklist. A therapist trained in couples work can see the pattern underneath the topic, the reason the money conversation keeps turning into a conversation about respect, and help you change it now.
It also helps to have someone who has seen how marriages struggle later. Our premarital therapists also do marriage counseling, so they know which early patterns tend to matter most.
Meet your specialist
Therapists who do this work
What to expect
What to expect
- 1
The first call.
Tell our intake coordinator your timeline, whether you have a wedding date, and whether faith or spirituality matters to you.
- 2
The first session.
Both of you attend. Your therapist will ask how you met, what is going well, and what you want from premarital work, and will explain the assessment if one is used.
- 3
The work.
Sessions focus on your assessment results and the topics that matter most for you, with conversations to practice between sessions.
- 4
Length.
Premarital counseling is usually shorter-term, structured work. Your therapist will talk with you about how many sessions fit your goals and timeline.
Cost and availability
Cost, insurance, and getting in
We work with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare or UMR, and Fox Everett. Participation varies by clinician and by plan, so call us and we will confirm your benefits before your first session.
Availability varies by therapist. It depends on which clinician you are matched with and how flexible your availability is. If you need to be seen sooner, say so when you call and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
Where we meet
In Ridgeland, and online across Mississippi
Our office is at 197 Charmant Place, Suite 2 in Ridgeland, convenient to Madison, Jackson, Flowood, Brandon, and Clinton.
We are licensed to serve all 82 Mississippi counties, for clients physically located in Mississippi at the time of the session. Telehealth works well for couples with busy schedules, as long as you are both in Mississippi during the session. Your therapist will talk with you about which fits.
Common questions
It depends on your goals and timeline. Your therapist will recommend a plan at the first session.
You do not have to wait for a problem to start working on your marriage.
Tell us your timeline and we will match you with a therapist trained in premarital work.
Availability varies by therapist. It depends on which clinician you are matched with and how flexible your availability is. If you need to be seen sooner, say so when you call and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
Stillwaters is an outpatient counseling practice and is not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger or unable to stay safe, call 911 or call or text 988.