DISCERNMENT COUNSELING
SHOULD you STAY IN YOUR MARRIAGE…OR LEAVE IT?
GAIN THE CLARITYYou NEED TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF YOUR MARRIAGE
Discernment Counseling is the perfect fit for you if:
- One of you wants to save the marriage but the other partner isn’t sure what they want.
- One and/or both of you are feeling stuck and not sure what to do next.
- You can’t seem to talk about your options without getting hostile or shutting down.
- Staying married seems impossible but you aren’t sure divorce is the right option either.
AVOID A HALF-HEARTED ATTEMPT AT COUPLES THERAPY OR A PREMATURE DIVORCE
IN DISCERNMENT COUNSELING:
- You will gain clarity and confidence about what steps to take next with your marriage.
- You will explore how each of you contributed to where the marriage is today.
- You will develop a deeper understanding of what has happened in your marriage so you can decide whether to leave things the way they are, break up or work to repair it.
- You will look at your problems from “three sides” – yours, your spouse’s, and that of an objective third party.
- Sessions are divided between conversations with the couple together and individual conversations with each spouse.
- Your counselor will respect the reasons for divorce while exploring the possibility of restoring the marriage to health.
The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
NEED CLARITY ON THE FUTURE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
You are one click away from starting the conversation.
Our Founder
KIM BOWEN – LPC, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF THE MARRIAGE PLACE
Kim Bowen is a licensed professional counselor and owner/founder of The Marriage Place, a counseling and coaching practice specializing in relationships and marriages. Having at one point wanted out of her own marriage because of years of anger and resentment, Kim has a heart for those who feel stuck and hopelessly unhappy.
Kim has assembled a team of coaches and counselors at The Marriage Place who truly understand the unique challenges of helping couples get unstuck and to make well-informed decisions about the future of their relationship. The Marriage Place proudly serves clients coast to coast.
Kim is the published author of The Love Joy Peace Workbook and her blogs and other writings have appeared in various publications including Glamour magazine. She has also been featured on Good Morning Texas. She and her husband, John, have been married for more than 30 years and are the proud parents of two grown boys and two high-maintenance fur babies.
What you can expect from us
BALANCE
Empathy
Truth-Talk
Progress
FAQs
Questions & Answers
What makes discernment counseling different from traditional marriage counseling?
Traditional marriage counseling is designed to help a couple repair their marriage. But when one or both partners aren’t sure they want to save the marriage, traditional marriage counseling won’t help. In fact, it can actually make things worse! Discernment Counseling helps a couple better understand what’s happened to their relationship, so they can decide whether they want to break up or work to repair it. It’s very different from traditional marriage therapy counseling because this kind of counseling is not about solving the problems; it’s about figuring out whether the problems can be solved – and whether you want to solve them.
When is Discernment Counseling not suitable?
Discernment Counseling is not appropriate when there is domestic violence present in the relationship, when there is an Order of Protection from the court, or if one spouse is coercing or manipulating the other to participate. If one spouse is 100% committed to leaving the relationship or is completely closed off to the idea of working on the relationship, Discernment Counseling is not appropriate. Discernment Counseling isn’t about changing minds. It’s about helping you each make up your mind. If you force Discernment Counseling on your spouse, you will likely lose any chance of saving your marriage. Instead, if you alone are committed to potentially saving your marriage, you need our Marriage Rescue program.
How many sessions will we need?
Discernment work is a short-term process, generally lasting 1 to 5 sessions. The first session will be 2 hours long. Subsequent sessions, if needed, will each be 90-minutes. Each session is divided between conversations with the couple together and individual conversations with each spouse. At the end of each session, the couple will decide if they have the clarity to move forward on the path of their choosing or if an additional discernment session is needed.
Are you going to try to convince me to save my marriage?
No! While we openly take a very ‘pro-marriage’ approach to couples counseling at The Marriage Place, Discernment Counseling is not couples counseling. Marriage counseling requires two people who want to improve their relationship. If one or both partners isn’t fully invested in the process, it could do more harm than good. Discernment counseling isn’t about changing your mind. We are going to help you make up your mind. Your counselor will help you fully explore all your options, and you will be the one to pick your pathway moving forward.
Are you going to suggest we divorce?
We believe the only people qualified to say if your marriage can or should be saved are the two people IN your marriage – and that’s you. Our job is to provide the structure and support needed for you to gain clarity and confidence on how to move forward. Discernment Counseling is how we do this. There are three possible outcomes – you decide to preserve the marriage “as is”, you decide to divorce, or you commit to working on it with a clear agenda and timeline in place.
What are your rates?
Our rates are based on the length of the session and the provider with whom you are working. The initial 2-hour Discernment session rate is $300-$400. 90-minute sessions are $225-300. If cost is a concern, please reach out to discuss pricing in greater detail. We do our best to find an option that works for you.
Do you take insurance?
The Marriage Place is an out-of-network provider, and does not currently does not accept insurance or participate in Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). For our clients who wish to file for reimbursement through their plan, we are happy to provide you with a receipt that includes the additional documentation required by the insurance company.
If you are unsure if you have out-of-network benefits, contact your insurance provider and ask if your plan offers mental health benefits including counseling, and if so, at what reimbursement rate and do you need to meet a deductible first.
Many of our clients who choose to file a reimbursement claim with their insurance company, receive reimbursement of up to 80% of session cost. If you have an FSA card, we are also happy to accept it for payment.
How do I get started?
Excellent! We are glad you are making this brave first step. To ask more questions, discuss working with us, or to book your first session, schedule a free 15-minute Discovery Call with us.