Are you getting married?
We are committed to helping couples succeed! Most couples spend all their time planning the wedding and forget to invest in their marriage. Don't let this be you! Marriage is a lot of work, but when lived out by God's principles, can be the most rewarding relationship on earth!

Pre-Marital counseling
Marriage Encouragers walk with you through six sessions. Using the Prepare Enrich and Taylor Johnson assessments to enhance learning and personal experience, couples are also asked to read Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, by Les & Leslie Parrott. You will discover the similarities and differences in your personalities and your expectations of marriage as you learn new tools for communication and conflict resolution.

Is there a cost?
Couples are asked to pay a fee of $120 for their personalized marriage assessments and the books used during the process. Partial scholarships may be available.

How do we get started?

To get started, FIRST read over the Marriage Preparation Profile below, THEN click here to download the intake form.  Fill out the form and save it, then just attach the form to an email and send to Becky Lomax.  We need at least four months to complete the process.  Marriage is a serious decision before God and one another. Premarital counseling is well worth the investment.

Nature of Marriage Preparation Counseling at RHCC:
The lay counseling premarital ministry at RHCC is a process of spiritual guidance and encouragement.  Our lay counselors are couples that have been trained in basic couples-counseling skills, and debriefing premarital assessment tools. They are not professional counselors. Couples will generally receive up to six counseling sessions prior to their wedding and then two follow-up sessions within their first year of marriage.  This process is intended to be relationship-oriented and is focused on assisting premarital couples in exploring areas that are important for their growth and development in establishing a healthy marriage. RHCC believes that God designed marriage; therefore, a strong emphasis is placed on the personal application of Biblical principals to individual lives in the context of a lifelong commitment to one another.
 
Requirements for Participation
1). Couples will be “equally yoked”; that is, share the same beliefs about God.
2). All couples will remain sexually abstinent during this counseling process, and until they are married.
3). All couples will begin their premarital counseling at least 4 months prior to their wedding date in order to complete the process.
 
Counseling Procedure:
RHCC does not charge for premarital counseling.  However, the couple will be required to pay approximately $120 for the scoring of two premarital assessments (Prepare Enrich and Taylor Johnson), as well as the books and workbooks called Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts or Saving Your Second Marriage Before it Starts. Counseling sessions commonly occur weekday evenings as well as weekends, and run 50-60 minutes per session.  These sessions are arranged with the lay counselors directly once assigned. The lay counselors should receive at least 24-hour advanced notice in the event of cancellation of a scheduled appointment.
(Please note: lay counseling couples may terminate the counseling relationship AT ANY TIME and refer the premarital couple to their sponsoring pastor, and/or professional counseling resources should they deem this necessary for the health of the premarital couple.)

Supervision:
A licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist supervises couples serving as premarital lay counselors on a regular basis.  Supervision takes place in a small group and is oriented toward the premarital counseling process and issues raised during counseling.  Every effort is made to protect the identity of the couples during this time.
 
Limits of Confidentiality:
Every counseling session is strictly confidential.  Information received from a couple will not be released to anyone without the person's written permission. However, all couples will sign a permission to exchange information with their sponsoring pastor. In addition, the following exceptions do apply and will be reported to the premarital lay counseling couple’s supervisor:
 
1.     Statements that abuse of a child or elderly- or disabled-person
        has taken or will take place.
2.     Statements that reflect on the intent to harm self or others.
3.     Information needed to facilitate treatment in a medical emergency.
4.     Information considered pertinent to the supervision process.
5.     Information considered pertinent to the premarital process and shared with the
        officiating pastor.