There are a lot of married couples who are on the verge of divorce, but are not sure if this is really the best route. If you can relate to this and would like help deciding where to go from this point on, you may benefit from using discernment counseling.
The main purpose of discernment counseling
Discernment counseling is a relatively new type of service offered to couples who are married, but are not sure if they want to stay married. The entire goal of this form of counseling is to help a couple decide whether to stay together or split up. It is not designed to help a couple actually find solutions to the problems they are struggling with in the marriage. It is simply a service that a couple can use to find out more information about what they should do next with their relationship.
It involves assessing the relationship and your future goals
Discernment counseling is something that requires the involvement of both spouses, and the main tool it uses involves assessing the relationship. Assessing the relationship means that you both will discuss your feelings, thoughts, opinions, worries, and concerns with the counselor you meet with. The counselor will hear the information and will ask the right questions to assess the state and future of the relationship. These questions will offer a lot for you to think about and consider as you try to decide the future of your relationship.
What to expect through discernment counseling
If you are thinking about using discernment counseling, you should expect it to take several months. It is not something that you can do in just one visit. You should also expect to meet with the counselor together as a couple, but you should also expect to have to meet alone. Spouses are often more open to talk about their true feelings when they are alone with a counselor instead of together with the counselor and their spouse.
When you attend discernment counseling, you and your spouse may be able to determine what caused the breakdown of the relationship and what you could do to save it. You may also decide that splitting up would be the better option, especially if this is what both of you really want.
Using discernment counseling may help you and your spouse decide whether divorce is the right option to take. If you decide that getting divorced would be best for both of you, you can learn more about it by talking to a family law attorney.
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