Discernment Counseling in Alpharetta, GA
The best way to find out if this approach is for you is to schedule a 15 minute consultation. Depending on your clinician’s availability, this consult may be held over the phone, via video, or in-person.
Meet Our Discernment Counselors
Discernment Counseling: A New Way to Help Those with Divorce Ambivalence
KMH’s Discernment Counseling service in Alpharetta, GA offers a safe space to acknowledge and process difficult emotions surrounding the state of your marriage and the possibility of separation or divorce. Your discernment counselor will support you while you identify your marital concerns and will provide you with insight and understanding into the patterns within your marriage. The end goal of this short-term treatment is for couples to be able to confidently decide the next steps of their relationship.
What is Discernment Counseling?
It is often said that the first step to overcoming any obstacle is knowing what it is.
Discernment counseling is a type of therapy that allows people to explore the options for addressing marital problems, including trying to stay married, choosing to separate, or divorce. This is a type of brief marriage counseling designed for couples who are uncertain whether they want to continue their relationship.
It can help reduce potential conflict between partners as they decide whether to separate, and it can make the separation process easier if they do decide to take this course of action.
At KMH we offer this type of counseling for couples seeking help with ambivalence toward divorce. Our therapists are trained professionals who will work closely with you during every step of the journey towards reconciliation or peace with separation. We help couples decide what their next steps will be and how their future relationship will look.
Benefits of Discernment Counseling
- Provides an opportunity to align you and your partner’s understanding of where the relationship is at and gain clarity about the relationship
- Opportunity to develop insight and understanding into patterns in your relationship
- Assistance from a couples therapist with assessing your current relationship status
- Provides peace of mind and clarity to move forward with confidence
Who is Discernment Counseling for?
Discernment Counseling is for couples who are uncertain whether they want to continue their relationship, couples on the brink of divorce, or those who are divorce ambivalent. Our highly experienced marriage therapists in the Alpharetta, GA area help couples that participate in discernment counseling decide if they wish to work on the marriage and save the relationship or pursue other life paths.
DISCERNMENT COUNSELING IS NOT APPROPRIATE WHEN:
- One of you has already made a final decision to end the relationship and only wants counseling to encourage the other spouse to accept that decision.
- One of you is coercing the other to participate via threats of any kind.
- There is a danger of domestic violence or physical harm.
- When there is an Order of Protection from a court.
How Discernment Counseling Works
Discernment Counseling is a process that allows the couple to explore all the pros and cons of staying together or moving on. Your counselor will ask questions about what happened in the relationship that caused one or both partners to consider ending it, what has been done to try to fix the relationship, and how children factor into the decision to end the relationship.
The goal of discerning counseling is not to persuade or convince one person that they should stay in the marriage. It’s important for both partners to feel like they can speak freely without any judgment or fear of reprisal from their spouse.
A successful outcome in discernment counseling would be a greater understanding of the relationship along with some clarity and confidence about the future.
Counseling
Couples, Premarital, & Marriage Counseling Rates
Sessions are available in 60- or 90-minute formats and can be conducted either in person or via video. While 90-minute sessions are highly recommended—especially for initial sessions, high-conflict couples, or couples with limited availability—they are not required unless deemed necessary by the clinician.
Typically, sessions are scheduled every other week, but as progress toward goals becomes more consistent, they can be spaced out to every 3–4 weeks.
Couples facing high levels of conflict or those with limited time may find 90-minute sessions particularly beneficial.
60 minute appointments: $230 per session
90 minute appointments: $335 per session
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
Wellness Blog | #learnwithkellen
Understanding OCD, Intrusive Thoughts, and ERP: A Comprehensive Guide
What Is EMDR? A Complete Guide to EMDR Therapy
Cope Ahead DBT Skill: How to Prepare for Triggers and Anxiety
Divergent Thinking: A CBT Tool to Break Negative Thought Loops
When One Twin Isn’t Ready: Navigating Grade Retention
Four Questions to Gently Guide You Into a New Season
Understanding Addiction: Compassion, Connection, and the Path to Healing
What is Hypervigilance? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
ADHD and Aggressive Behavior in Children: Why It Happens and What To Do
Navigating Perimenopause: Mind, Body, and Emotional Well-Being
Understanding Rumination and Worry: Why Overthinking Keeps You Stuck and How to Move Forward
How to Win Arguments With Your Partner: Maximizing Return and Respect through ROI and ROE
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept my insurance?
Managed care companies were created to “manage” and contain escalating health care costs. Their bottom line is to reduce costs and raise profits; it is not to increase the quality…
What forms of payment do you accept? Can I use my HSA/FSA card?
Cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express), and health savings (HSA) or flex spending account (FSA) cards that have a major credit card logo on it are all accepted…
What is marriage counseling, and who is it for?
Marriage counseling (couples therapy) is structured, confidential therapy where a trained couples therapist helps partners improve communication, reduce conflict, and strengthen connection using evidence-based tools. It’s for any committed couple—dating,…
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel or change your appointment, we ask you to inform your provider at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled session start time. Your full…
When should we choose a 90-minute couples session instead of 60 minutes?
We recommend 90-minute couples session when getting started or when you need more time to slow things down and make progress—especially if conflict is high, the topics feel complex, or…