Couples and marriage
Premarital counseling before you say I do
True North Vitality offers premarital counseling for engaged couples at offices in Greensburg, Irwin and Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Licensed Professional Counselors help couples talk through expectations, money, family, children, intimacy and conflict before the wedding, and include Christian faith, prayer or Scripture only when both partners ask for it.
- 3 Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors
- Greensburg · Irwin · Ligonier
- Online across Pennsylvania
- Christ-centered counseling
This may help if
- You are engaged and want to start marriage with clear expectations.
- You come from very different families or backgrounds.
- You already have a few arguments that keep coming back.
- You are blending families or marrying again.
- Your church asks for marriage preparation and you want it from a licensed counselor.
What is premarital counseling?
Premarital counseling is short-term work for engaged couples, or couples thinking about marriage, before problems have time to settle in. Most couples start it hopeful and motivated, which makes it a good time to learn skills rather than repair damage.
Most of us were never taught how to communicate well or handle conflict with someone who grew up differently. Premarital counseling gives you a guided place to name what each of you expects from marriage and to practice talking about hard subjects while things are going well.
It is also for couples who are not yet engaged but are thinking seriously about marriage, and for couples marrying again or bringing children into a new family. The questions may differ, but the goal is the same: to understand each other better and to have a shared plan for the hard conversations that every marriage brings.
What do couples talk about?
Each couple sets its own priorities, but these subjects come up for most people. Counselors in this field often call them the big-ticket items, because unspoken expectations about them cause many early conflicts.
- Your families of origin and the habits each of you learned at home
- Money: spending, saving, debt and who handles what
- Children: whether, when and how you want to raise them
- Roles and the division of work in the home
- Intimacy and how it can change over a marriage
- In-laws, extended family, holidays and traditions
- How you argue, and how to disagree without doing damage
- Faith, church and shared values, if they matter to you
Why do it before the wedding?
Research suggests that couples who take part in premarital education are more likely to seek help later in the marriage when they need it, and to seek it sooner. In one study of newlywed couples, those who had premarital education were more likely to go on to receive therapy when problems came up.
That matters because relatively few couples seek help when they need it, and many wait until problems are deep before asking. Knowing what counseling is like, and knowing the skills you practiced, can make it easier to come back early if you ever need to.
Who provides it, and where?
Dave Kemerer, MA, LPC, founder of the practice, specializes in couples, marriage and family work, is trained in the Gottman Method and sees couples at the Greensburg and Ligonier offices and online. Nicoletta Whiteman, MA, LPC, holds a dual master's in Professional Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy and sees clients at the Irwin office and online. Read about Dave or Nicoletta, or see office locations.
Online sessions are by secure video through SimplePractice for clients located in Pennsylvania at the time of each session. For couples who want to build their marriage on Christ, see Christian marriage counseling.
How does premarital counseling work?
- A free 20-minute consultationCall, email or use the contact form. Share your wedding date if you have one and what you hope to cover.
- PaperworkEach partner completes the intake paperwork before the first session.
- Setting the agendaThe counselor hears from both of you and agrees on the subjects that matter most for your relationship.
- PracticeSessions mix conversation with skills you can use at home. Sessions are 55 minutes.
What about cost and safety?
Many plans do not cover couples or premarital counseling unless a diagnosis applies to one partner, so ask us about your options before you start. Some of our counselors work with insurance and others are self-pay. See insurance and payment.
If you are afraid of your partner, or there is abuse in the relationship, couples sessions are not the right fit. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. True North Vitality is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.
Common questions
How many sessions do we need?
It depends on what you want to cover and how much time you have before the wedding. Premarital work is usually short-term. The counselor will talk with you about a plan during the first sessions, and you can add or end sessions as you go. Starting well before the wedding leaves room to go at a comfortable pace.
Can our premarital counseling include our faith?
Yes. Prayer, Scripture and conversations about what God’s Word teaches about marriage can be part of your sessions. If the two of you are at different places in your faith, that can be one of the subjects you talk through.
We do not have any problems. Is this still worth it?
Many couples come in exactly because things are going well and they want to keep it that way. Premarital counseling is about learning skills and naming expectations, not about finding something wrong. It also gives you a counselor you already know if you want a check-in later.
Does premarital counseling meet a church requirement?
Some churches ask couples to complete marriage preparation, and the rules differ from church to church. Ask your pastor what is required. If your church needs a letter or proof of sessions, mention it during the consultation call and we can talk about what is possible.
References
Published by True North Vitality, a counseling practice of Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors in Westmoreland County. Last updated November 2, 2026. This page is general information, not medical or mental health advice, a diagnosis or a substitute for care.
You might also be looking for
- Couples and marriage counselingHelp with communication, conflict and trust for couples, in Greensburg, Irwin, Ligonier and online.Learn more
- Christian marriage counselingMarriage counseling that helps couples build their marriage on Christ.Learn more
- Dynamic Couples TherapyEach partner has their own counselor, and both counselors meet with the couple together.Learn more
Ready to take the first step?
Call, email or send a short message to book a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll help you choose a counselor and an office in Greensburg, Irwin or Ligonier, or meet online anywhere in Pennsylvania.