Premarital Counseling in Missoula, MT
Prepare for Marriage.
Strengthen Your Relationship.
Build a Foundation for the Future.
Build a Strong Foundation for Your Marriage
Getting married is an exciting transition—and it is also an opportunity to slow down, have meaningful conversations, and intentionally build the kind of relationship you want for the years ahead.
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, we provide premarital counseling in Missoula, Montana for engaged couples, couples considering marriage, and partners who want to strengthen their relationship before taking the next step.
Our premarital counseling program combines the Prepare/Enrich relationship assessment with personalized couples counseling. Depending on your therapist and goals, counseling may also incorporate Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), attachment-based therapy, and Gottman-informed relationship strategies.
We help couples have important conversations about communication, conflict, finances, intimacy, family, expectations, values, and the future—before those issues become bigger problems.
Premarital counseling is available in person in Missoula and through secure online therapy across Montana.
Get Matched With a Premarital Therapist
Our care coordinator can help connect you with Tiana Wilson, LCSW or Ken Bumke, LCSW based on your goals, therapist preferences, availability, and location.
What Is Premarital Counseling?
Premarital counseling is a form of couples counseling designed to help partners prepare for marriage and build a strong foundation for their future together.
You do not have to be experiencing serious relationship problems to benefit from premarital counseling.
In fact, many couples begin premarital counseling because their relationship is strong and they want to be intentional about protecting and strengthening it as they move into marriage.
Premarital counseling creates dedicated time to talk about the practical, emotional, and relational parts of building a life together.
Your therapist may help you explore:
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Communication and listening
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Conflict and disagreement
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Emotional connection and intimacy
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Finances, spending, saving, and debt
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Family relationships and boundaries
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Parenting and whether to have children
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Household responsibilities
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Career and lifestyle expectations
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Religion, spirituality, and personal values
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Decision-making
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Trust and emotional safety
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Sex and physical intimacy
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Family traditions
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Extended family and in-laws
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Major life transitions
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Shared goals and expectations for marriage
The goal is not to decide whether you should get married.
The goal is to help you and your partner understand one another more deeply, identify areas of strength and growth, and develop skills for navigating marriage together.
Prepare/Enrich Premarital Counseling in Missoula, Montana
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, our premarital counseling program incorporates the Prepare/Enrich relationship assessment.
Prepare/Enrich gives couples a structured way to explore important areas of their relationship and identify both existing strengths and areas that may benefit from further conversation.
Depending on the assessment and your goals, couples may explore areas such as:
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Communication
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Conflict resolution
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Finances
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Intimacy
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Family and friends
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Parenting
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Roles and responsibilities
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Personality differences
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Stress and life transitions
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Values and beliefs
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Future goals
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Expectations for marriage
The assessment is not a pass-or-fail test and is not designed to tell you whether you should get married.
Instead, it gives you and your therapist a starting point for conversations that are specific to your relationship.
Your therapist will help you understand your results and use them to guide your sessions, discussions, and relationship-building exercises.
What Does Premarital Counseling Work Help With?
Premarital counseling can give couples a structured opportunity to discuss important issues before marriage.
Communication
Learn how each of you communicates, what helps you feel heard, and how to have difficult conversations without becoming stuck in the same patterns.
Conflict Resolution
Every couple disagrees. Premarital counseling can help you understand how each partner responds to conflict and develop healthier ways to work through disagreements.
Emotional Connection
Learn more about each other's emotional needs and what helps each of you feel safe, understood, valued, and connected.
Finances
Talk openly about spending, saving, debt, financial priorities, financial responsibilities, and your expectations for managing money together.
Family and Boundaries
Explore relationships with parents, siblings, extended family, and future in-laws, including boundaries and expectations around family involvement.
Children and Parenting
Discuss whether you want children, parenting expectations, division of responsibilities, and how you envision family life.
Intimacy and Sexuality
Create a safe space to discuss affection, intimacy, expectations, needs, and communication around physical and emotional closeness.
Roles and Responsibilities
Talk about household responsibilities, careers, work-life balance, decision-making, and the expectations each partner brings into marriage.
Shared Values and Future Goals
Explore what marriage means to each of you and create a shared vision for the life you want to build together.
Our Approach to Premarital Counseling
We believe effective premarital counseling should address both the practical realities of marriage and the emotional connection between partners.
Our therapists use the Prepare/Enrich assessment alongside relationship-focused approaches tailored to each couple.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Attachment
Tiana Wilson, LCSW incorporates Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and attachment-based therapy into her work with couples.
EFCT focuses on the emotional patterns that develop between partners and helps couples understand the deeper needs underneath recurring conflict or disconnection.
Rather than simply teaching couples how to argue differently, the work can help partners understand:
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What happens emotionally when conflict begins
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How each partner responds when feeling hurt or disconnected
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The attachment needs underneath recurring relationship patterns
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How partners can create greater emotional safety
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How to communicate needs more clearly
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How to strengthen emotional connection and responsiveness
Tiana's approach is especially focused on helping couples understand the relationship pattern between them, rather than viewing one partner as the problem.
Attachment and Gottman-Informed Couples Work
Ken Bumke, LCSW incorporates attachment-based therapy and Gottman-informed relationship strategies into his work with couples.
His approach emphasizes practical relationship skills while also helping partners understand the patterns that influence communication, conflict, trust, and connection.
Depending on your goals, sessions may focus on:
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Communication
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Conflict management
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Emotional connection
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Trust
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Relationship patterns
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Friendship and partnership
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Shared goals
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Preparing for major life transitions
Ken also offers evening and Saturday appointments, which can make scheduling premarital counseling easier for couples balancing work and other commitments.
Who Provides Premarital Counseling in Missoula?
Premarital counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy is currently provided by Tiana Wilson, LCSW and Ken Bumke, LCSW.
Tiana Wilson, LCSW
Tiana Wilson is the founder of Peaks and Valleys Therapy and provides couples and premarital counseling in Missoula.
Her work with couples incorporates Prepare/Enrich, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), attachment-based therapy, and relational approaches.
Tiana works with couples who want to strengthen emotional connection, improve communication, understand recurring relationship patterns, and intentionally prepare for marriage.
Location: Missoula Mullan office
Service: In-person and online therapy
Ken Bumke, LCSW
Ken Bumke provides couples and premarital counseling for adults and couples in Missoula and online across Montana.
He is a Prepare/Enrich facilitator and incorporates attachment-based and Gottman-informed approaches into his work with couples.
Ken offers evening and Saturday appointments, which can be particularly helpful for couples who work traditional daytime schedules.
Location: Missoula South Ave office
Service: In-person and online therapy
Appointments: Tuesday–Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, subject to availability
Not sure which therapist is the right fit? Our care coordinator can help you determine where to start.
What Happens in Premarital Counseling?
Your premarital counseling experience will be tailored to your relationship, goals, and therapist.
A typical process may include:
1. Start With a Consultation & Complete the Prepare/Enrich Assessment
Complete our Get Matched form and let us know that you are looking for premarital counseling.
Our care coordinator will learn about what you are looking for and help connect you with an available therapist. You and your partner will complete the Prepare/Enrich assessment, which provides a structured look at areas of strength and potential growth within your relationship.
2. Begin Your First Sessions
Your therapist will learn more about your relationship, your history, your upcoming transition into marriage, and what you hope to accomplish through counseling.
3. Review Your Results
Your therapist will help you understand your results and identify the topics that are most important for your relationship.
4. Have the Important Conversations
Sessions may address communication, conflict, finances, family, intimacy, parenting, values, expectations, and other areas relevant to your future together.
5. Build Skills for Marriage
You will practice ways of communicating, responding to one another, navigating conflict, and strengthening your emotional connection.
6. Continue Using What You Learn
The goal is not simply to complete an assessment or check premarital counseling off your wedding checklist.
It is to leave with a better understanding of your relationship and practical skills you can continue using throughout your marriage.
How Many Premarital Counseling Sessions Do We Need?
here is no single number of sessions that is right for every couple.
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, couples may choose a shorter premarital counseling package or spend more time exploring the areas that matter most to their relationship.
Four-Session Package
A focused option for couples who want to address the most important premarital topics and begin meaningful conversations about marriage.
Six-Session Package
A more comprehensive option that provides additional time to review Prepare/Enrich results and work on communication, conflict, expectations, and future planning.
Eight-Session Package
Our most comprehensive option for couples who want more time to explore the major areas of their relationship and develop relationship skills before marriage.
If additional support would be helpful, couples may continue with additional sessions.
Is Premarital Counseling Covered by Insurance?
Premarital counseling is a private-pay service at Peaks and Valleys Therapy and is not billed to insurance.
Insurance generally covers treatment for eligible mental health conditions rather than relationship preparation or preventive premarital counseling.
Private-pay premarital counseling allows sessions to remain focused on your relationship, your goals, and preparing for marriage rather than requiring the work to be framed around an individual mental health diagnosis.
How Much Does Premarital Counseling Cost?
Premarital counseling is offered as a private-pay service.
Because rates and package options may vary by therapist, please visit our Insurance & Rates page or contact our care coordinator for current pricing and availability.
Is Premarital Counseling Only for Engaged Couples?
No.
Premarital counseling can be helpful for couples at several stages of a serious relationship.
You may be a good fit if you are:
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Engaged
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Planning to become engaged
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Seriously considering marriage
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Living together and considering marriage
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Preparing to blend families
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Entering a second or subsequent marriage
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Wanting to strengthen your relationship before getting married
You do not need to be experiencing a major relationship problem to begin premarital counseling.
What If We're Already Having Relationship Problems?
Premarital counseling can still be appropriate when couples are experiencing conflict or uncertainty.
In some cases, a couple may benefit from a more traditional couples counseling approach before or alongside premarital work.
If you are experiencing significant conflict, emotional disconnection, trust concerns, repeated arguments, or difficulty communicating, our care coordinator can help determine whether premarital counseling or couples counseling is the better starting point.
Premarital Counseling for All Couples
Our premarital counseling services are welcoming and affirming of couples across relationship identities and family structures.
We work with couples who are:
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Engaged
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Dating and considering marriage
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Living together
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Blending families
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LGBTQIA+
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Entering a second or subsequent marriage
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From different cultural or family backgrounds
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Bringing different values, traditions, or expectations into the relationship
Your relationship is unique, and your premarital counseling should be tailored to the two of you.
Premarital Counseling in Missoula or Online Across Montana
Peaks and Valleys Therapy offers premarital counseling in person in Missoula, Montana and through secure online therapy across Montana.
Missoula Mullan Office
2423 Mullan Road
Missoula, MT 59808
Tiana Wilson provides premarital counseling at our Mullan location.
Missoula South Ave Office
1008 South Ave W
Missoula, MT 59801
Ken Bumke provides couples and premarital counseling at our South Ave location.
Online premarital counseling may also be available for eligible couples located throughout Montana.
Frequently Asked Questions About Premarital Counseling in Missoula
What is premarital counseling?
Premarital counseling is couples counseling designed to help partners prepare for marriage. It provides a structured opportunity to discuss communication, conflict, finances, family, intimacy, values, expectations, and future goals before marriage.
Does Peaks and Valleys Therapy offer premarital counseling in Missoula?
Yes. Peaks and Valleys Therapy provides premarital counseling in Missoula, Montana using the Prepare/Enrich relationship assessment along with personalized couples counseling.
Do you offer Prepare/Enrich in Missoula?
Yes. Tiana Wilson, LCSW and Ken Bumke, LCSW provide premarital counseling using the Prepare/Enrich assessment.
Who provides premarital counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy?
Premarital counseling is provided by Tiana Wilson, LCSW and Ken Bumke, LCSW. Tiana incorporates Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and attachment-based approaches. Ken incorporates attachment-based and Gottman-informed relationship approaches.
What does Prepare/Enrich cover?
Prepare/Enrich helps couples explore areas such as communication, conflict, finances, intimacy, family, parenting, roles and responsibilities, values, personality differences, stress, and future goals.
How long does premarital counseling take?
The number of sessions varies by couple. Peaks and Valleys Therapy offers four-, six-, and eight-session premarital counseling options, with additional sessions available when appropriate.
Can premarital counseling help if we are already having problems?
Yes. Premarital counseling can help couples address communication difficulties, recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, and differences in expectations. Some couples may benefit from couples counseling depending on the concerns they are experiencing.
Does insurance cover premarital counseling?
Premarital counseling at Peaks and Valleys Therapy is private pay and is not billed to insurance.
Do we have to be engaged to attend premarital counseling?
No. Couples who are seriously considering marriage can benefit from premarital counseling even if they have not become engaged yet.
Can we complete premarital counseling online?
Yes. Online premarital counseling may be available to eligible couples located throughout Montana through secure telehealth.
Where is premarital counseling offered in Missoula?
Premarital counseling is available at Peaks and Valleys Therapy's Missoula offices, including the Mullan Road and South Avenue locations, depending on therapist availability.
How do we get started with premarital counseling?
Complete our Get Matched form and let us know that you are looking for premarital counseling. Our care coordinator will help connect you with an available therapist who fits your goals and preferences.
Prepare for Marriage With Premarital Counseling in Missoula
Your wedding may be one day.
Your marriage is the relationship you will continue building long after the wedding is over.
Premarital counseling gives you and your partner dedicated time to talk about what matters most—from communication and conflict to finances, family, intimacy, values, and your vision for the future.
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, our Missoula premarital counselors combine Prepare/Enrich with relationship-focused therapy to help couples enter marriage with greater understanding, stronger communication, and practical tools for navigating life together.
Whether you're engaged, considering marriage, or simply want to be intentional about your relationship, you don't have to wait for a problem to begin investing in your future together.
Ready to Get Started?
More Relationship Support in Missoula
Couples Counseling in Missoula
If you're already experiencing recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, communication difficulties, or relationship stress, explore our couples counseling services.
Couples Counseling in Missoula →
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Learn more about Tiana Wilson's approach to couples therapy using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and attachment-based work.
Explore Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy →
Relationship Therapy for Individuals
You do not have to attend therapy with your partner. Individual relationship therapy can help you understand relationship patterns, communication, boundaries, attachment, and emotional needs.
Explore Relationship Therapy →
Meet Our Therapists
Learn more about the therapists at Peaks and Valleys Therapy and find the right fit for your needs.