It can be very difficult for couples when one spouse is considering divorce and the other is committed to the marriage. In Discernment Counselling, we call this “leaning out” and “leaning in”.
Discernment Counselling is a helpful approach when one person is leaning out of the relationship, and the other is leaning in, wanting to continue the relationship. This type of counselling is a chance to slow down, take a breath, and look at your options in a safe space.
As a Certified Discernment Counsellor, I will help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage, move toward divorce, or take time out to decide later.
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. You will each be treated with compassion and respect no matter how you are feeling about your marriage. There are no bad guys or good guys.
You will come in as a couple. However, the most important work occurs in the one-to-one conversations you have with me as your counsellor. Why? Because you and your spouse are starting out in different places.
I will respect your reasons for divorce, while trying to open up the possibility of restoring the marriage to health.
One of the outcomes of these sessions is that each of you understand your own contributions to the problems, and the possible solutions. This will be useful in future relationships, even if this one ends.
Number of sessions
A maximum of five sessions. The first session is up to 120 minutes and the subsequent sessions are 80 minutes.
Cost
The first session is 1900 AED and the subsequent sessions cost 1200 AED.
Discernment Counseling is not suited for these situations:
- If one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce
- When one spouse is coercing the other to participate
- If there is danger of domestic violence
