First off, congratulations on your engagement. What an exciting time in your life! We understand you have a lot on your plate with wedding planning, but we are happy you are looking into premarital counseling. By taking advantage of the benefits of premarital counseling, you can ensure that the littles issues occurring now don’t become big problems later.
I look forward to each appointment and know that I will be treated with the utmost care, respect, and professionalism. I highly recommend this facility to others. 
I've seen a dramatic change in my life since beginning my treatment at Integrated Counseling, and I will be forever grateful for my time there. 
I went to integrated counseling for two years for eating disorder recovery. Every week, I loved meeting with my counselor to celebrate my successes and work through the barriers that come with mental health challenges. My counselor thoroughly explained the reasons behind eating disorder behaviors, showed empathy with hard topics, and helped me overcome Issues I had dealt with for years. I looked forward to each session. I am in a healthier state of mind and in a better place in life because of the thoughtfulness, kindness, and professionalism that my counselor showed me 
I am a 56 year old woman who has struggled with disordered eating for the past 42 years of my life. It wasn’t until I found my counselor with Integrated Counseling, that I started to reverse all the ill effects of dieting, issues around controlling all my food and letting go of my fat phobia. The program that my counselor guided me through was an awesome mix of self compassion, intuitive eating and movement, being present in all aspects of life and stopping judgement towards myself and others. I am convinced that I would not be nearly as far along in my healing process were it not for my counselor. She was gentle yet firm, patient and incredibly understanding. I am left with all the tools I need to proceed through life on my continued recovery journey. 
As a young woman who has struggled with body image and a relationship with food for most of my life, receiving counseling for my eating disorder was the only way I could finally see light at the end of my dark tunnel. My anorexia had consumed me to a point where food, exercise, and the way I perceived my body controlled my thoughts and feelings every hour of the day. It wasn't until I sought out counseling and had a desire to recover that I am finally healing. These past three years receiving professional help have truly saved my life. I am now the healthiest I have ever been. Without a shadow of a doubt, I would encourage any person who is struggling with an eating disorder to not be afraid to reach out and trust that you can finally learn to love yourself. 
I went to integrated counseling for two years for eating disorder recovery. Every week, I loved meeting with my counselor to celebrate my successes and work through the barriers that come with mental health challenges. My counselor thoroughly explained the reasons behind eating disorder behaviors, showed empathy with hard topics, and helped me overcome Issues I had dealt with for years. I looked forward to each session. I am in a healthier state of mind and in a better place in life because of the thoughtfulness, kindness, and professionalism that my counselor showed me. 
I had Annie as my therapist and she’s one of the best therapists I’ve ever had. She’s great at listening to what I need and making sure I’m comfortable no matter what. I love her and it’s because of her I know how to communicate and trust my therapists! Thank you! 
This place changed my life. I haven’t been there in about 4 years now, but I was reflecting over my experience and thought they deserved a good review. I originally went to see Luke back in 2017 to deal with my depression. After visiting with him for a few months we came to the conclusion that I was dealing with undiagnosed ADHD. My life has significantly improved because of Luke and my diagnosis. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 
I've gone to many Counselor places, but this seems to be the one. Excellent Service! By both the therapists and the staff! Very friendly and professional! The atmosphere is great as well! They don't take Medicaid sadly, but they have multiple kinds of professionals and services to fit your need! They also have an excellent website. They are good at communicating to you and each other, so that nothing goes wrong. 
I have loved my time with Integrated Counseling and Wellness. The staff made me feel comfortable and well taken care of. My therapist, Liz, was incredible. You can tell she is professionally trained, well qualified, and truly cares for her patients. I've seen a dramatic change in my life since beginning my treatment at Integrated Counseling, and I will be forever grateful for my time there. 
I have had nothing but a positive experience in my time receiving counseling at Integrated Counseling and Wellness. The staff is incredibly friendly and professional and the environment is conducive to peace and calm. I have made and continue to make great strides in improving my mental health thanks to my time here. 
LouAnn Stermer is an excellent counselor who cares deeply about her clients. In the past, I worked with her at 2 different times over several years. She always acted in a professional manner and with a great deal of integrity. Integrated Counseling is very lucky to have her. 
Luke Einerson is amazing! I always had the hardest time falling asleep, and with one visit, Luke made the perfect herbal mixture that has made all the difference! He was very knowledgeable and caring! Highly recommend him if you are looking for a more natural Herbal alternative! 
I have witnessed Luke's work with clients and can attest to his passion, compassion, and skill at delivering client-specific care. Luke really cares about the people he works with, and he is talented at seeing their potential to creatively help them realize that for themselves. 
Luke is an Executive Coach with a solid entrepreneurial experience and deep understanding of the healthcare ecosystem. This combined with his strong listening skills and “out of the box” thinking approach, brings a unique edge to his coaching practice. 
I have experienced incredible growth with the help of my counselor here. Best counseling I have ever had! 
We Love Each Other, Why Get Premarital Counseling?
Of course you love each other, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things worth talking about. Participating in marriage counseling before you get married can help head off potential problems later on down the line. For instance, counseling
- Makes sure you are both on the same page regarding key issues: children, money, work-life balance, faith.
- Encourages discussion of your feelings about getting married, including joys and fears.
- Ensures that you are both ready for the commitment of marriage.
The Statistics of Premarital Counseling
When you are getting ready to take your first driver’s license test, what do you do? You prepare for it by receiving a permit and spend hours driving with someone who has spent years driving. You may even pay for a professional driving school to help you be the best you can. What if everyone took the same amount of time and commitment to learning about marriage as they did driving? A study published in the Journal of Family Psychology that states couples who received premarital education had a 31% lower chance of divorce, but only about 32% of couples engage in premarital counseling. And St. Catherine University reports in their study that 94.6% of people who participated in premarital counseling would recommend it to other couples. Compare these numbers to modern divorce statistics. According to the National Center for Family & Marriage Research for every two marriages, there is nearly one divorce in the United States as of 2015. What are the results? Just statistically speaking, if you decide to participate in Premarital counseling your chances of having a successful marriage go up.
Premarital Counseling Benefits
Beyond the statistics, engaging in counseling with your partner before marriage has life-changing benefits to you. A professional counselor who has the experience, knowledge, and tools to help you succeed can impart wisdom and teach skills to you and your loved one. This knowledge will empower you to understand each other better. It will help you work through conflicts as they come. And it will help you prepare for a life of happiness together as you learn to work on being the best person you can be for each other.
Premarital counseling helps you think about your marriage beyond the engagement. You may learn things about each other you wouldn’t have thought to even ask before including things like communicating love or preparing finances. You will begin to meld together as a unit prepared to overcome life’s challenges together.
Identifying and Addressing Stressors in a Relationship
Another one of the benefits of premarital counseling is that it can help you identify any stressors in your relationship. Do you ever feel your partner judges you when you express your opinion? Are you both equally invested in your relationship? Are there been particular issues find yourselves arguing about? These topics are addressed in marriage counseling prior to marriage.
Learning Communication Skills for Your Marriage
Premarital counseling effectively teaches you both communication tools to be applied to your life together. For example:
- Know how to respond appropriately to your partner.
- Avoid pushing blame onto your partner.
- Listen more attentively and effectively to each other.
- Create an open dialogue where both of your perspectives are valued.
Learn to effectively communicate now, before you marry your partner. This will helpfully prepare you before life brings on the life challenges you will face as a couple — challenges like raising a child or having to go through a medical crisis.
Learning How to Appropriately Handle Stress in Marriage
Let’s face it; everyone has stress in their lives. Couples have to balance budgets, pay bills, and manage all the details that come their way. This can be stressful, and for some, the stress can lead to unhealthy behaviors. At the least, you may find yourself snapping at your partner or being argumentative. A more extreme example includes participating in substance abuse and other risky behavior. Marriage counseling can teach each of you to manage stress better and deal with it appropriately.
But We Don’t Believe in Divorce, So Why Get Premarital Counseling?
Because, unfortunately, the statistics show the odds of successful marriage are discouraging. This means enduring arguments and hurt feelings and, then, separation. For families with children, the effects can be even more daunting. If you had the chance, why not invest in your relationship now to potentially help avoid problems later on?
