Pre-Marriage Counseling in Chattanooga

Pre-marriage counseling is an essential tool for any couple considering marriage. It helps you see your relationship clearly, understand how you interact, and find the areas to strengthen before married life begins. Maybe you're unsure whether marriage is right for you, or maybe you just want to know what to work on so your relationship is as healthy as it can be.

Dr. Brandon Santan, PhD, LPC-MHSP, holds an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy and is certified to administer the PREPARE/ENRICH assessment. He sees couples at the Jordan Professional Building, 101 Jordan Dr., just off I-75 at the Shallowford Rd exit, and by telehealth.

Start before the engagement

Dr. Santan recommends starting pre-marriage counseling as early as possible, ideally before you get engaged. Once a couple is engaged, there's already a strong commitment that's hard to step back from if needed. Pre-marriage counseling works best as part of deciding about marriage, not a box to check just before the wedding.

The PREPARE assessment

PREPARE is the version of the PREPARE/ENRICH assessment for couples who aren't married yet. It gauges your relationship and shows which areas will need attention as you move toward marriage.

One of its most useful measures is "idealistic distortion": how much you're seeing the relationship through rose-colored glasses. Knowing this helps you view your relationship more realistically and prepare for the realities of married life.

• You each take the assessment online, individually, at your own convenience.
• The results go to Dr. Santan, who reviews them with you during your sessions.
• Because the results are extensive, Dr. Santan asks for a commitment of at least 6 sessions.
• There's a $35 administration fee, which goes directly to the organization that maintains the assessment.

Tennessee marriage license discount

Pre-marriage counseling with Dr. Santan can qualify you for the Tennessee marriage license discount. You'll need at least 4 sessions. For instructions on applying and the certificate of completion form, visit the Hamilton County Clerk website.

Fees and insurance

Insurance doesn't cover relationship counseling, so pre-marriage counseling is private pay only (cash, check or credit card). See Rates for current fees and the FAQ for more details.

Telehealth for couples

You can meet by video as long as each of you is located in Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Idaho or Ohio at the time of the session. It's best to be together, but you can join from different locations and Dr. Santan will conference you in on the same call. Just let the office know beforehand.

Getting started

Fill out the couples counseling request form. Once your patient portal account is set up, you'll complete your paperwork and schedule from the portal. Questions? Call or text 423-834-7209.

Already married? See marriage counseling.