Through its Center for Couples, the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement^® (NIRE) offers a wide variety of services for couples who in the process of preparing themselves for marriage or remarriage. NIRE offers state-of-the art premarital/remarital assessment, psychoeducational programs, and individual premarital/remarital counseling.

NIRE utilizes state-of-the-art marriage preparation and remarriage preparation inventories, as well as a couple interview process designed to help couples identify important relationship issues and individual differences which should be explored prior to marriage. Once couples have obtained this important information about each other, they can then participate in either premarital/remarital counseling or other programs offered by NIRE to learn important communication and relationship skills for cooperatively exploring and reaching agreements in these relationship areas, as well as for resolving other future issues which arise throughout their married life together.

The Couples' Relationship Enhancement^® Weekend is an effective psychoeducational program for couples which teaches practical attitudes, skills, and strategies for improving communication, cooperatively resolving relationship issues, and proactively working to bring about and maintain increased intimacy and relationship satisfaction. This two-day program consists of lectures, demonstrations of relationship skills by program leaders, and the opportunity for participants to practice skills privately with supervision. Although taught in a group format, there is no requirement for couples to share any information with other couples, and all skill practice is conducted in private. This program has been widely used for the purpose of marriage and remarriage preparation for over 25 years.

NIRE also offers premarital and remarital counseling for couples desiring to work individually with a counselor to learn practical attitudes, skills, and strategies for improving communication and cooperatively exploring and resolving relationship issues. The content of the premarital and remarital counseling is generally similar to that of the Couples' Relationship Enhancement^® Weekend, but with the advantage that sessions can be individually planned to meet the specific needs of a couple and that the couple has the benefit of the constant and exclusive attention of a counselor.

When remarriage includes the challenge of blending two families, there are frequently unique problems encountered. NIRE offers a variety of specialized counseling services and psychoeducational programs for stepcouples and stepfamilies through its Center for Stepfamilies. Call Carrie Hansen, LCSW-C at (301) 986-1479 for more information about these services.

NIRE has developed Phone Coach, a homestudy program for couples who are unable to participate in the Couples' Relationship Enhancement^® Weekend or premarital/remarital counseling sessions. Please call NIRE for information about this programs.

For more information about premarital/remarital counseling services or psychoeducational programs offered by NIRE please call us at (301) 986-1479.