Essentials of Premarital Counseling: Creating Compatible Couples (New Horizons in Therapy) (Paperback)

~ Sandra L. Ceren (Author)
Key Phrases: personality quiz, premarital counseling, Essentials Of Premarital Counseling, Personality Quiz Discussion, Suggested Conflict Solutions (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

b>Expand Your Clinical Practice with this Practical Hands-on Guide

Teach conflict resolution skills to your couples

Introspective quizzes expose more of couples¿ inner lives and past history to each other

Real-life exercises let couples practice cooperative decision- making and compromise before a crisis happens.

Couples will discover and have the opportunity to change bad habits which threaten the viability of the relationship.

Therapists Acclaim for Essentials of Pre-Marital Counseling

"An invaluable ten-week program of specific steps to evaluate a relationship, detect warning signs and avoid disastrous pitfalls before committing to marriage."
--Holly A. Hunt, PhD, author of Essentials of Private Practice

"What I find most rewarding about this book is what Dr. Ceren refers to as 'The art of gracious compromise'-or what may be called-how to get along in your relationship. Therapists take heed, this book is for you and your clients! You will benefit greatly."
--Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D., FICPP, Senior Psychologist/Director, Adult Developmental Center, Author of The Shidduch Crisis

"A remarkable roadmap to a healthy relationship and insight into self, written by a therapist who combines experience and skill in improving the lives of others."
--Rosalee G. Weiss, PhD Diplomate, American Board of Psychological Specialties Learn more about the author at www.DrSandraLevyCeren.com

Book #7 in the New Horizons in Therapy Series

from Loving Healing Press www.LHPress.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press (June 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932690662
• ISBN-13: 978-1932690668
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #690,376 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A proven successful program for premarital counseling, July 22, 2008

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (7/08)

"Essential Premarital Counseling" is the seventh book in the New Horizons in Therapy Series published by Loving Healing Press. Dr. Sandra L. Ceren presents a complete ten session premarital program with case studies for discussion, and suggested resolutions. The program uses a proactive group approach with opportunity for extended sessions for individual counseling when needed.

The material in the book includes material for an intake interview, thought-provoking and probing self-examination questions with follow-up discussion suggestions. Dr. Ceren also provides a tool for personality testing and a relationship quiz. Conflict resolution training is an essential part of the subject matter of the program and provides instructions for the practitioner.

Role playing is another important part of the program. Challenging situations and scenarios are given to the participants based on material covered in earlier sessions. These role plays are followed up with suggested conflict resolutions and provide insight for impending warning signs in a premarital relationship.

The case studies dealing with personality disorders and doomed relationships are especially significant in building a long-term relationship resulting in marriage. I particularly appreciated the case studies with illustrated key and lasting, inflexible personality basics that form patterns not easily broken.

These personality characteristics hold back social and career performance and need to be considered in decisions of the magnitude of marriage. Ceren also noted the importance of values, goals, interests, and hobbies in a relationship. The case studies include numerous unresolved conflicts with suggested solutions.

The premarital questionnaire provided in the appendix is an exceptional tool for the couple considering marriage and for use in evaluation and counseling by the therapist. The recommended resource list is comprehensive and includes books--both fiction and non-fiction, as well as suggested cinematherapy.

This hands-on guide is an excellent program resource for clinical practitioners, marriage and family therapists, premarital counselors, and trained lay counselors. "Essential Premarital Counseling" by Dr. Sandra L. Ceren has received high acclaim from leaders in the field of premarital counseling.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential tools and techniques, August 23, 2008

By	Victor R. Volkman "http://www.LovingHealing.com" (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Ceren shares her interactive quizzes, techniques, and roleplaying scenarios proven to produce results in four decades of counseling premarital couples of all ages. You can't go wrong with the right tools!

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extremely Valuable Reference for Premarital Counseling, October 20, 2009

By	Lauri C. Coates (MASCOUTAH, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We all know that a large percentage of American marriages end in divorce. These numbers are even higher for subsequent marriages. No one gets married planning to have it fail. However, many couples put more emphasis on planning the wedding than they do on planning the actual marriage. As a Therapist, you have a wonderful opportunity to assist couples in learning how to make the marriage work after the actual wedding ceremony and honeymoon end. Dr. Sandra Ceren has put together a remarkably easy to follow and understand counseling blueprint for couples considering marriage.

Real life case studies and examples will lead the therapist through a series of ten meetings and discussions with couples. Using her ideas and proven methods, the therapist can assist couples in finding areas of probable conflict, work through them, and emerge a stronger team after counseling sessions.

Dr. Ceren combines education and experence to assist couples in the "art of gracious compromise", lessons that would serve most of us in both our personal and professional relationships. The author writes frankly and honestly about the need to actually know a partner before marriage, and offers quizzes that can help your clients explore each other's personality, personal history and thought processes.

I found the entire book well written, excellently presented and very well organized. It's obvious Dr. Ceren has put much work into this guide. I firmly believe that any therapist hoping to include marital/premarital counseling in their practice should keep a copy of this book close by........it will be referred to again and again.