Discernment Counseling
Discernment Counseling in Westlake Village, CA
For Marriages on the Brink
Are you (or your spouse) seriously considering divorce but wondering if it’s the right choice? Discernment Counseling might help.
Does marriage counseling seem too overwhelming right now, but you’re at least willing to pause and explore how you’ve arrived at this point and what your options are?
Are you debating back and forth whether your marriage is salvageable?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, Discernment Counseling might be the right fit for you.
Discernment Counseling may be appropriate if you or your spouse are seriously considering divorce but are not entirely sure if this is the right choice.
Couples who enlist the support of a skilled Discernment Counselor are interested in securing third-party support as they think through whether or not they wish to attempt the work of marriage counseling.
Discernment Counseling is brief and focused, involving a maximum of five counseling sessions. The first visit is usually 2 hours, with subsequent sessions lasting between 1 and 2 hours. This time is spent in conversation as a couple and alone with the therapist.
A new option for certain marriages in crisis.
Unlike traditional marriage counseling, Discernment Counseling does not immediately attempt to solve the problems within a marriage. Instead, this short-term counseling approach aims to help couples have greater clarity and confidence in their decision-making.
Developed by Dr. William Doherty from the University of Minnesota, Discernment Counseling helps couples choose one of three paths: 1. Whether or not to continue their current path towards separation and divorce; 2. To enter marriage counseling to explore reconciliation and growth; or, 3. To take a break from pondering the fate of the marriage to decide later.
Discernment Counseling is NOT appropriate when:
- one spouse has made a final decision to divorce and wants counseling to help the other spouse accept their choice
- there is a threat of domestic violence within the relationship
- there is an Order of Protection from the court
- Undue pressure is applied from one spouse on another to participate.