Couples On The Brink

Discernment Counselling (DC) helps if you and your partner are considering divorce but aren’t completely sure. It’s a chance to slow down and look carefully at your options, particularly if one of you is “leaning out” of the relationship, not sure regular marriage counseling would help, and the other is “leaning in,” interested in rebuilding the marriage. The goal is not to solve your marital problems but to see if they are solvable.

As a certified DC, I can help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage, move toward divorce, or take time out and decide later. The goal is to gain clarity and confidence about which direction to take, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future.

You will be treated with compassion and respect no matter how you feel about your marriage at the moment. No bad or good guys. I respect your reasons for divorce while trying to open the possibility of restoring the marriage to health.

Though you come in as a couple, the most important work occurs during one-to-one conversations with me since you are starting in different places. We emphasize the importance of seeing your own contributions to the problems and possible solutions. This will be useful in future relationships even if this one ends.

I offer a maximum of five sessions. The first session is two hours and subsequent are 1.5 or 2 hours. DC is not appropriate in certain circumstances: • When one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce • When one spouse is coercing the other to participate • When there is danger of domestic violence.

See discernmentcounseling.com for excellent resources for leaning-in and leaning-out spouses, lawyers and mediators.

Click here to watch a video from the founder, Dr. William Doherty