Why I Use SYMBIS for Christian Premarital Counseling

If you're engaged or seriously considering marriage, congratulations! As your counselor, I'm genuinely excited for you—and I want to help you build something that lasts. Here's an encouraging statistic that I share with every couple I work with: couples who participate in premarital counseling are 30% less likely to divorce. That's why I'm so passionate about the work we do together before you walk down the aisle.

The Gold Standard in Faith-Based Marriage Preparation

In my counseling, I use SYMBIS (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts)—a Christ-centered approach that's become the most trusted premarital program in the world. Since 1995, over 1 million couples have built their marriages on this biblical foundation, and more than 100,000 pastors and counselors worldwide rely on it. This isn't a trendy, untested approach—it's a proven system rooted in both Scripture and solid psychological research, continuously refined over nearly three decades.

Created by Experts Who Understand Marriage and Faith

SYMBIS was developed by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, a husband-and-wife team who don't just teach about marriage—they live it. Married since 1984, they bring both personal experience and exceptional professional credentials to their work. Les is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, while Leslie is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Together, they founded the Center for Healthy Relationships and have dedicated over 25 years to researching and teaching Christian premarital education.

Their expertise is recognized nationally—they've been appointed as Marriage Ambassadors, featured in major media outlets like CNN, The Today Show, and Oprah, and have authored #1 New York Times bestselling books that have helped millions of couples. What I especially appreciate about their work is how they integrate biblical wisdom with sound psychological principles. When you use SYMBIS, you're benefiting from their decades of research, clinical experience, and faith-informed wisdom.

What Makes SYMBIS Different

SYMBIS isn't just another relationship book or generic checklist. It's a comprehensive, personalized assessment system that reveals the unique dynamics of YOUR relationship while grounding you in God's design for marriage. Through our counseling sessions together, we'll explore six critical areas that research shows are essential for marital success:

Your Personalities - You'll discover how God uniquely wired each of you and how your individual traits interact as a couple. I love watching couples learn to appreciate their differences as complementary strengths rather than sources of frustration.

Your Communication Styles - We'll crack the code for the deep, meaningful conversations that create lasting emotional connection and understanding. One thing I always tell couples: good communication isn't natural for most of us—it's a skill we build together.

Your Conflict Patterns - Every couple fights—but not every couple fights well. You'll identify your "hot topics" and learn how to turn disagreements into opportunities for growth rather than sources of ongoing tension. In our sessions, I've seen couples discover that some of their biggest conflicts stem from completely different assumptions they never knew they had.

Your Financial Compatibility - Money is one of the top sources of marital conflict, and it's an area where many couples have never had honest conversations. We'll align your attitudes about spending, saving, giving, and achieving your shared financial dreams before they become sources of friction.

Your Intimacy and Connection - We'll discuss how to cultivate not just initial passion, but the deeper intimacy and fulfillment that sustains a marriage over decades. This includes emotional, spiritual, and physical connection.

Your Shared Purpose - What gives your relationship meaning? We'll help you create that soul-to-soul connection that makes your marriage more than just a partnership—it becomes a shared life mission rooted in faith and mutual purpose.

A Personalized Experience for Your Unique Relationship

What I love most about SYMBIS is that it's deeply customized to you. Through detailed assessments and guided exercises, we'll uncover the specific strengths you bring to your marriage and the unique challenges you'll want to navigate together. This isn't one-size-fits-all advice—it's targeted, practical guidance for YOUR relationship, informed by both psychological research and biblical principles.

I recently worked with a couple who discovered through their SYMBIS assessment that they had completely different expectations about how to handle extended family during holidays. Addressing this before the wedding prevented what could have been years of tension and hurt feelings. That's the kind of practical preparation that makes all the difference.

An Investment That Pays Lifelong Dividends

Think about all the time and money couples spend planning their wedding day—the venue, the dress, the flowers, the perfect playlist. Those things create one beautiful day. But Christian premarital counseling? That's an investment in every day that follows. It's about building a marriage that doesn't just survive, but truly thrives in the way God intended.

The couples I work with often tell me that our SYMBIS sessions gave them tools and insights they use for years after the wedding. They learn how to communicate when things get tough, how to support each other through life's transitions, and how to keep their connection strong even when life gets complicated. My favorite part of this work is seeing couples years later and hearing how the foundation we built together is still serving them.

Starting Your Journey Together

Whether you're newly engaged or have been planning your wedding for months, it's never too early (or too late) to invest in your marriage. Through SYMBIS Christian premarital counseling, we'll spend focused time together uncovering what makes your relationship unique, addressing potential challenges before they become problems, and giving you the tools to build the marriage you've always dreamed of—one that honors God and brings you both deep fulfillment.

Because here's the truth: a great wedding day is wonderful, but a great marriage is everything. Let's make sure you're prepared for both.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact me today to schedule your first SYMBIS session and begin building your foundation for lifelong love. I offer both in-person and virtual sessions and would be happy to answer any questions you have about the process.

P.S. SYMBIS isn't just for newly engaged couples! Whether you're dating seriously and considering marriage, newlywed, several years in, remarried, or navigating a challenging season, this assessment can help you grow together. There's no bad time to dig into new insights about your partner and yourself and discover areas where you can deepen your connection. Faith-based marriage counseling is for every stage of your journey together.

< Older Post