Anything and everything is on the table for marriage counseling on the first visit. A therapist will want to understand the history of your relationship, your individual backgrounds, and any current concerns that have led you to seek counseling.
Beginning with your joined history, each relationship is unique in how it begins, develops, matures, and is maintained. Some marriages begin only weeks after first meeting while others may begin after multiple years of friendship, dating, and engagement. The context of your meeting, the life stages you have been through together, and even the generational cohort you are each a part of all have an impact on your relationship. This information is relevant and helpful for your therapist to know and understand. Additionally, it may be helpful to discuss the background of each individual. One’s family of origin and past experiences can have a profound effect on how they interpret the world and manage relationships. Discussion in this area can help a therapist empathize with each individual and understand how they relate to each other. The final and most obvious topic of information that should be brought up in a first visit to marriage counseling is that of current concerns. The reality of a first visit to marriage counseling implies that there are current concerns the couple is facing. These range widely and should not be neglected in the first visit.
By addressing the relationship history, individual backgrounds, and current concerns, clients would be greatly aiding therapists in achieving a basic understanding of the couple and envisioning their next steps in the counseling process.
