A relationship is not unhealthy if the groom and the bride have enrolled in premarital counseling - it may be a sign of a very healthy and mature relationship. Think of premarital counseling as another task that may be on your checklist of things to get done before the wedding - right up there with wedding flowers. In fact, you may have already discovered that you can't reserve a church or synagogue for your wedding ceremony without first taking a marriage preparation class.

Even if it isn't required, you should seriously consider the benefits of premarital counseling:

1. It can reduce the risk of divorce by up to thirty percent
2. It can lead to a significantly happier marriage
3. It can help reduce the stress of planning a wedding

And if you're like many young couples and believe that love will get you through the rough times, then you should take a minute to review a few divorce stats. With the divorce rate hovering around fifty percent, it's clear that a successful marriage relies on much more than just love.

While love is important, it won't be enough if you don't have the basic relationship skills you need for a successful marriage. Lasting marriages require partners who respect one another and know how to communicate with one another.

The idea behind premarital counseling is that you need to strengthen your relationship before tying the knot so that you will be fully equipped to deal with the challenges and conflicts that every couple inevitably faces at some point in their marriage.

When enrolling in premarital counseling, make sure that your class or session covers the following relationship issues: (Make an appointment privately if your church or synagogue class doesn't cut it. This is important stuff.)

Compatibility - With your spouse and future in-laws

Expectations - About work-family balance, careers, household responsibilities, time spent together

Communication -With your spouse, parents, in-laws

Conflict Resolution - How to deal with big and small problems, financial matters, constant bickering, meddling in-laws, etc.,

Intimacy and Sexuality - Frequency of sexual relations, making time, making love versus just sex

Long-Term Goals - Personal, family, and career

Marriage preparation will teach you and your fiancée how to deal with these issues so that they don't become toxic to your relationship. But counseling isn't only about identifying problem areas, it's about celebrating your strengths as a couple. Sound cheesy? So what - this is your future and it's important that you're prepared for it.

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