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: Counseling for Couples Considering Divorce | Alpharetta, GA
Discernment counseling is a short-term, specialized process designed to help couples gain clarity and confidence about their relationship’s future. Unlike traditional couples therapy, which focuses on improving the relationship, discernment counseling works with couples who are uncertain about staying together.
For those considering separation, working with divorce counselors who specialize in divorce can provide a safe, confidential space to explore options. This approach supports mental health by fostering understanding and helping both partners make informed decisions, whether that means pursuing marriage counseling or moving toward divorce with clarity and mutual respect.
4 Core Questions to Ask Before Discernment or Divorce Counseling:
- 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? It might be things you tried individually, as a couple, or with outside help.
- How do children factor into the decision to end the relationship?
- What were the best times each partner experienced in the relationship? A time when you felt the most connected and joyful in your relationship. This gives you a sense of what drew you to each other.
What is Discernment Counseling?
If you’re seeking a divorce but feel uncertain, discernment counseling can help. Unlike traditional couples therapy, which focuses on improving the relationship, this process is about determining whether the marriage can be repaired or if divorce is the best path.
Think of it as working with Divorce Coaches or engaging in divorce therapy to gain clarity. We help couples navigate their challenges and assess the viability of their marriage before proceeding with the divorce process, ensuring you can make a fully informed decision.
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
Understanding Different Types of Counseling for Couples
If you are considering couples counseling, separation counseling, or discernment counseling, it’s helpful to understand what makes each approach distinct. Our highly experienced and licensed marriage and family therapists 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.
- Traditional couples counseling is designed to help partners strengthen their relationship and address ongoing challenges.
- Separation counseling provides guidance and support for couples navigating the emotional and practical aspects of ending their relationship.
- Discernment counseling helps couples find clarity and confidently decide whether to stay together or separate.
To help you find the right path for your relationship, start by choosing the statement that best describes your current situation:
“I am not sure if we should stay together”, or “My partner and I want different things.”
- Your Next Step: Discernment Counseling
- What to Expect: This is a short-term process created specifically for couples where one person is leaning toward ending the relationship, and the other wants to save it. We will help you safely explore your options so you can find clarity and confidence about the future of your relationship before making a final decision.
“We both want to stay together and work on our relationship.”
- Your Next Step: Couples Counseling
- What to Expect: If you are both committed to repairing and improving your relationship, this path is for you. In a calm and private setting, your clinician will help you build stronger communication skills, navigate conflict, and deeply reconnect with your partner.
“We have already decided to separate, but we need support through the transition.”
- Your Next Step: Separation Counseling
- What to Expect: Ending a relationship is difficult, but you do not have to navigate it alone. We offer a structured, supportive space to help you manage heavy emotions, communicate respectfully, and build a healthy co-parenting plan if you have children.
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.
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.
Goals of Discernment Counseling
- Determine whether any problems are able to be solved, not to solve relationship issues or concerns at this time.
- Insight and understanding into the patterns you need to address, the personality traits that you want to address and fix, so that you can be a better partner in the future
- Clarity about the relationship
- Gain confidence about the next steps for your relationship.
What to Expect in Discernment Counseling
At Kellen Mental Health, we offer discernment counseling to help couples facing ambivalence about separation or divorce. Unlike traditional couples therapy, this process is designed to help you and your partner clarify your next steps – whether toward reconciliation or peace with separation.
Our trained couples therapists work to support each person, including divorced couples navigating their post-divorce relationship, ensuring understanding and guidance throughout the process.
Contact our team of professionals to set up an appointment and start working towards a healthier relationship.
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.
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
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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…
How do I schedule an appointment?
There are a few different ways to schedule an appointment. Please choose the most convenient option for you. If you are a new client, you may schedule your consultation or…
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…