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Gay Marriage Illinois – Get Counseling First!
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Now that gay marriage (same sex marriage) has become a reality in the state of Illinois, Couples Therapy Associates of Chicago would like to take this moment to publically celebrate this welcome change while also imparting the following message to gay men – think about pre-marital counseling before getting hitched!
Why Gay Men Need PreMarital Counseling
There are a number of reasons gay men should consider partaking in premarital counseling before officially tying the knot. Perhaps the most important reason relates to the need for a different marriage blue-print than what one might find in traditional, heterosexual marriages. The construct of marriage is very new to many gay men who for many years have been in relationships that were not officially recognized by the state or the federal government. With the advent of gay marriage, it is vital that gay men understand what marriage means and how getting married will impact their relationship in the here and now and in the future. Gay premarital counseling can help.
What follows are three reasons why gay men should strongly consider premarital counseling:[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]
1. Better understand what marriage means
Marriage is a formal relational bond that is recognized by the state and federal government. There are many benefits that are tied to marriage for same sex couples that you may not know about. In fact, there are over 1000 benefits according to the Human Rights Campaign. But it is important that you know this – along with these rights come responsibilities.
Premarital counseling can help you and your spouse to be better understand these responsibilities and how they can impact your relationship should you decide to get married. It’s all good news for sure but still, you will want to know this information.
2. Assess the strength of the relationship
Gay relationships have traditionally been difficult, in part because of a lack of public and familial support around same-sex bonding. Now that marriage has become legal in Illinois (any many other states), it is important that gay men assess the strength of their relationships and explore how to best integrate the concept of marriage into daily life.
Specifically, we are talking about choosing to identify publicly as a married person to family, friends and perhaps the co-workers/employers. Are you ready to take this step? If so, how will you infuse this into your new reality?
3. Identify spousal responsibilities
The legalization of same sex marriage in Illinois is one of the best things that has happened to gay and lesbian individuals ever. Now that same sex marriage has become legal, gay couples need to think about how to keep their relationships healthy and strong for the long-term.
In our experience, it is best to enter into counseling before getting married to assess different areas of the relationship and identify specific responsibilities as part of everyday domestic life.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”175″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]Here we are talking about everything from personal finances, to children to everyday house-cleaning. Only a fool thinks these types of issues will magically take care of themselves on their own. Why not be proactive and give your relationship the best chance for success by deciding who will be responsible for different activities and duties before tying the knot?
Summary
Same sex marriage has become a reality in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. At Couples Therapy Associates, we want to affirm our united support of marriage for gay and lesbian couples. We believe in healthy, stable strong relationships for all peoples, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.
We encourage you to talk to your significant other and consider premarital counseling as a way of fortifying your relational bonds and setting yourself up for long-term success. Our couples counselors are highly skilled in working with same sex couples and stand ready to assist.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]