[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_tabs][vc_tab title=”Video about Gate 14 Premarital Counseling” tab_id=”1402979488-1-45″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SucLWr33wk”][/vc_tab][vc_tab title=”Transcript of Premarital Video ” tab_id=”1402979488-2-63″][vc_column_text]This brief video provides an overview of the Gate 14 premarital counseling and pre-marriage counseling program offered by the couples counselors at Couples Therapy Associates, a subsidiary of 2nd Story Counseling. A paraphrased transcript appears below the video.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy day watch this video about the Gate 14 premarital counseling program. My name is Dr. John Moore and I am the creator of Gate 14. The program itself was conceptualized as a way of responding to a very real need within the Chicago-land community as a way of offering a program for couples considering marriage that is not religious in nature. And so after talking to a number of people who are involved in the helping professions, such as counselors, marriage therapists, social workers and some in the religious community, I created a program that is designed to help people in a way that is grounded in very concrete issues/topics. And so we will talk a little bit about that today and essentially go over three important takeaways as part of the premarital counseling program.
These three takeaways are:
- Gate 14 is flexible
- Gate 14 is affordable
- Gate 14 is beneficial
I will go over each of these areas in an easy to understand way. I have to tell you that I do not do a lot of video. I haven’t really done a lot, ever. Sure, a few for organizational consulting here and there but I have never published a video of myself talking on the Internet. If this video seems kind of home grown and earthy – that’s because it is folks. I just want to keep it real with you. And that is exactly how the counselors are who work with clients using Gate 14 – down to earth and real.
Let’s jump right in!
Point One: Flexibility
You probably looked at the webpage that explored the 14 topical areas covered by Gate 14 premarital counseling. What I want to impart of to you is the flexibility of Gate 14. Essentially you, your significant other and your therapist will decide when the appointments take place, at what time and how appointments will best work for your schedules. There are six sessions as part of the Gate 14 program. During those six sessions, 14 specific areas are covered. In some sessions you might cover 2 topics, others three. The main point here is that you schedule the appointments at a time that works for you and your significant other and the therapist. So if you want to spread it out over several weeks, that is fine. If you need a morning appointment one week and two weeks later you need an evening appointment, depending upon your therapist’s schedule, that is likely fine too. We wanted to create a program that was built around your schedule in a way that was flexible.
OK, let’s move on to the second point and that is flexibility.
Point Two: Flexible
Let’s keep it real and talk about costs. The economy that we are in today is not the greatest. All of us need to be mindful of our finances. So, we’ve created a program that we hope is an answer to the budget minded consumer. The Gate 14 premarital counseling program is $135.00 per session. And again, there are six sessions as part of the premarital counseling program with Gate 14 – as part of the lifespan of the premarital counseling process.
We think it is very affordable. Most premarital counseling programs and marriage counseling in general can run to prices marks of 165.00 per session. Also, many premarital counseling programs have no end date. Essentially, the therapist will say they offer premarital counseling and work with clients on marriage topics until everyone agrees counseling is over. Again, no end date here.
OK – premarital counseling is not covered by insurance. A lot of people wonder “hey – is premarital counseling covered by insurance”. Nope – the truth is most insurance programs do not offer a premarital counseling benefit. The good news is that if you have a health savings plan with your company (HSA) you can most certainly can submit a receipt (to your HR group) and most all of the time you are reimbursed for any monies you pay towards premarital counseling. I encourage you use your health savings plan if you have one at your employer and use it for counseling and take advantage of that benefit. If you are going to use the Gate 14 program, one of our counselors can give you a receipt for your needs.
OK on to the third and final point.
Point Three: Beneficial
The third final aspect that I would like to cover with you is that Gate 14 is beneficial. As mentioned earlier, there are 14 specific, concrete areas that are covered in Gate 14. These are areas that are not traditionally covered in premarital counseling – particularly at some religious institutions. I am not trying to knock them. I support people going to a place of spiritual gathering for counseling of course. I am just saying ours is different. We touch upon topics that other places “won’t”. So what are some examples? I am talking about things like money. Who for example is going to be paying the bills? Are both people in the relationship going to be tracking and minding the money? How does the credit one person’s credit situation look before getting married? So as you can see – this is real stuff. Real concrete issues that we explore before they become a problem in marriage. Another issue we explore is sex. How does that work in the relationship? Sure – just before people get married sex is like the 4th of July when we are talking about issues in the bedroom. But the reality is that as time goes on, it’s not so much the 4th of July anymore, just to keep it real. And so what we explore is how you are keeping a positive dynamic in that aspect of your life for the here and now and the future? In other words, how do you keep things fresh over the course of our relationship for the long-term.
One other aspect that we talk about are boundaries. We explore how people in the marriage can build in private time and not feel completely squeezed. A lot of people feel that after time passes, they spend too much time together and are not sure how to create healthy space. Having a little bit of space is a good thing.
So you have the essential core elements of Gate 14. The program itself was named Gate 14 because we feel marriage is a destination point – a place that you are going to in life that is new and different with a person you love. It’s an exciting time! The program was thought up with having some fun in mind. The 14 (number 14) speaks to the 14 topical areas covered. Those are the core elements. You have the three takeaways. To recap, Gate 14 is flexible, affordable and finally – beneficial.
If you have any questions, give us a call or contact us through our electronic communication form. I want to thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video. More importantly, I want to say thank you for allowing me into your life for today. This is an exciting time for you and we are excited for you. I hope your marriage is a long and happy one. Thank you![/vc_column_text][/vc_tab][/vc_tabs][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_separator color=”grey”][vc_column_text]
Video that explores the Gate 14 Premarital Counseling services offered by Couples Therapy Associates. Learn more about this one of a kind, exciting program.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
