Discernment Counseling

Trained and working towards certification with Dr. Bill Dougherty in helping couples decide to work on their relationship.

If you or your partner are considering divorce but are not completely sure that’s the best path, Discernment Counseling is designed for you. I will help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage to health or move toward divorce. The goal is for you to gain clarity and confidence about a direction, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future. The goal is not to solve your marital problems but to see if they are solvable.

I have studied the theory and worked with multiple couples at varying stages of discernment with different outcomes. I find this model to be instrumental with couples in which one partner is "one foot out" while the other partner is "hanging on to the final thread." It is critical that they get on the same path before attempting couples therapy, and Discernment Counseling is an excellent model to determine if that is possible.

Discernment counseling is a short-term model designed to assist couples on the brink. The goal of this intervention is to develope clarity about the marriage, secure confidence in moving forward, and understanding of the role each partner has contributed to the struggle. These goals are obtained by focusing on three specific pathways: path 1. Remaining in the marriage without change, path 2. Separation or divorce, path 3. Commitment to a course of 6 months of couples therapy.

I'm a certified Discernment Counselor who helps couples unsure about their relationship's future. Through our sessions, we'll explore the issues that have brought you to this point, and I'll help you to understand the dynamics of your relationship and to make an informed decision about the best path forward. I aim to help you and your partner find clarity, peace of mind, and the confidence to make the right decision for both of you.

If you or your spouse are considering divorce but are not completely sure that’s the best path … you are in a tough spot, and Discernment Counseling is designed for you. It’s a chance to slow down, take a breath, and look at your options for your marriage. The goal is for you to gain clarity and confidence about a direction, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future.

I am a certified Discernment Counselor. Discernment Counseling is a brief model of 1-5 sessions that seeks to help very ambivalent couples gain clarity and confidence in a direction for their relationship/marriage.

If you're struggling with your marriage and uncertain about the future, I understand how difficult that can be. You haven’t agreed to end your relationship, but you haven’t decided to stay together either. When one or both partners is seriously considering separation or divorce, discernment counseling can help. Discernment counseling helps couples struggling with the decision to stay together or separate find clarity and confidence in whatever decision they make.

Discernment counseling is a short-term intervention, with a maximum of 5 sessions.Unlike traditional marriage counseling, the goal is not to start to solve the problems in the relationship. Rather, to give couples more confidence in their decision making. Discernment counseling is not for couples where one of the parties has already decided that they want a divorce. In discernment counseling, the assumption is that both parties are still considering restoring the health of the marriage.

Discernment Counseling isn't therapy. The discernment process is meant to provide you with clarity and confidence about a direction for your relationship based on a deeper understanding of what has happened in your relationship as well exploring the possibilities for the future. Discernment counseling is brief- just 1-5 sessions; and goal-directed, meaning there's no time to waste. If you're stuck and uncertain of the future. Discernment counseling can help.

Discernment Counseling is designed for couples where one or both partners are uncertain about the future of their relationship. It's a short-term, goal-oriented process that helps you gain clarity and confidence in your decision-making. Together we’ll explore the underlying issues in your relationship, gain insights into what has led to this point, and examine your options moving forward.

As a therapist who practices discernment counseling, my focus is on helping couples who are uncertain about the future of their relationship gain clarity and make informed decisions. Rather than assuming that the goal of therapy is to save the relationship, I acknowledge that not all relationships are meant to be saved. Instead, I work with clients to explore the underlying reasons for their uncertainty and the factors that may be contributing to the challenges they are facing.

Are you or your partner unsure if you want to continue your marriage? Are you willing to have open conversations with your partner. With discernment counseling you and your partner can decide together your next relationship steps

I have worked with couples who are at a crossroad in their marriage determine next steps for their relationship. Discernment counseling helps couples decide whether or not to end their marriage. This approach can be particularly effective when one partner wants to leave the relationship, but the other wants to remain together. Within one to five sessions, the therapist helps the couple determine if they would like the marriage to remain as is, commit to 6 months marriage counseling, or divorce.