Marriage is often considered to be a wonderfully difficult thing. It can be wonderful to share your life with someone. You can experience everything that life has to offer with a person you care about and love. However, marriage can also be difficult. You have to learn how to live with someone and share your entire life with them. You have to be there for them, even when things are tough. The wonderful ideas of marriage are what encourage many couples to marry. Yet, many of these couples are not as prepared for the difficult time. A little extra preparation can increase the chances of a long and happy marriage.

Insist on a long engagement
The wedding planning process itself can be stressful and can mimic a few of the challenges you might come across in life as a married couple. Wedding planning requires you to work together, time manage, and budget for a large financial expense. If this creates some tension, avoid straying away from it, and learn from it. Evaluate the areas of the planning process that are difficult and work on those areas. Insist on a longer engagement to truly experience the wedding planning process.

Discuss finances before marriage
When you are dating, you may not feel as obligated to share your finances. They are, after all, your concern. However, once you are married, you mix your finances with your new partner. If you have debt, they now have debt. If they are poor at managing money and planning for retirement, it will also affect your retirement account. Marriage is a partnership as much as it is anything else. It is important to understand your future spouse?s budgeting and financial knowledge, before marriage. If you are not comfortable initiating this discussion, the family and group therapy process can be helpful.

Consider in laws and future children
In today?s times, many marriages come with step children and close in laws. When you decide to marry your spouse, you are also agreeing to enter into their family. You may be accepting step children that you will have to care for as your own. This can be an extremely difficult transition for all involved. Family and group therapy is often necessary to prepare for this transition. The family and group therapy, however, should begin before marriage.

Participate in individual counseling sessions
Many people who have experienced a divorce have stated that they were simply not ready for marriage. They rushed into a marriage, for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps they had family pressure or they thought they were running out of time to begin a family. Actively participating in individual counseling can help you understand your motivations for marriage. It can also help you keep your independence and personal self during marriage.

Some couples find that the union of marriage is difficult because they feel like they lose themselves in the process. Individual counseling, along with couple?s therapy can assist you in keeping your true self. Individual counseling can also help with addresses individual problems that could affect the marriage itself. Approximately 50% of Americans with major depression do not seek treatment for the mental illness, putting a large strain on marriage and relationships.

Enroll in marriage intensives
Family and group therapy sessions are not only for when things are difficult. They can be a great preparation tool for a life long marriage of happiness. Enrolling in a marriage intensive before marriage can give you and your future spouse effective tools for dealing with future conflict and marriage difficulties. After working with a marriage or family therapist, 93% of patients said they had more effective tools for dealing with their problems. Respondents also reported improved physical health and the ability to function better at work after psychotherapy.

According to research done by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, 98% of surveyed couples who underwent couple?s therapy reported that they received good or excellent help, and over 97% of those surveyed said they got the help needed. Marriage intensives and family and group therapy sessions prior to marriage can be the added preparation you need for a successful transition and marriage.