Before saying “I do", a growing number of couples in the UAE are choosing to sit down with counselors to talk about communication, finances, and expectations. Once seen as a Western trend, premarital counselling is now gaining ground locally, with experts saying it can help couples enter marriage with clearer understanding and stronger foundations.

Dr Nashwa Tantawy, psychologist and managing director of Nafsology Psychology Centre in Dubai, has seen a clear change. "From a psychological perspective, pre-marriage counselling is one of the most important decisions a couple can take to manage the transition into married life smoothly," she said.

"The difference between couples who prepare through counselling and those who don’t is huge. It affects expectations, clarity in decision-making, financial responsibilities, parenting, and even intimacy."

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Traditionally, couples sought therapy only after problems became unmanageable. "It used to be seen as the last resort," Dr Tantawy explained. "Now, more couples are using it as a preventive tool to avoid future conflicts and uncertainty."

Dr Nashwa Tantawy

Inside the sessions

At Nafsology, pre-marriage counseling often takes the form of a structured programme, usually five sessions, covering key areas. These include communication skills, conflict management, financial planning, roles and responsibilities, relationships with in-laws, and intimacy. Couples also explore how to maintain individuality while building a shared future.

One of the biggest hurdles is hesitation. "Sometimes one partner is not convinced at first and only joins to support the other," said Dr Tantawy. "But as sessions progress, they often become highly engaged, opening up about fears and expectations, and leave feeling closer as a couple."

What couples want to know

Sangeeta Manglani, a Dubai-based relationship coach and psychologist, describes pre-marriage counselling as "a roadmap before starting the journey". In her practice, couples often raise questions about finances, family roles, and intimacy.

"They want to know how to handle conflicts without hurting the relationship, and how to stay connected without losing themselves as individuals," she said.

Sangeeta Manglani

Manglani noted that couples are increasingly aware that love alone isn’t enough. "They are realising that it also takes skills, awareness, and tools. Rising divorce rates have made many more proactive about preparing for marriage."

For many couples, the idea of pre-marriage counselling is still unfamiliar. Mahra (name changed on request), a newlywed Dubai resident, said she wishes she had attended sessions before tying the knot. "Even when you know your partner well, getting married brings new challenges," she explained. "You discover differences in habits, expectations, and ways of handling conflict that you hadn’t faced before. Pre-marriage counselling could have given us tools to navigate these changes more smoothly."

She added that the sessions might have helped them communicate better and set clearer expectations from the start. "It’s not about questioning your love or compatibility," Mahra said. "It’s about preparing for the real-life transition of living together, sharing responsibilities, and planning your future as a team." 

Preventing problems before they start

Experts agree that pre-marriage counselling cannot guarantee a perfect marriage, but it equips couples with skills to handle challenges. "Most divorces don’t happen because love disappears," Manglani explained. "They happen because couples don’t know how to deal with conflicts, expectations, or stress together. Counselling helps build resilience from the start."

In the UAE’s diverse cultural environment, where family systems and expectations can vary greatly, professionals say preparation is even more valuable.

Dr Tantawy believes that widespread adoption of counselling could ease many conflicts before they begin. "I’ve had clients who, years into marriage, tell me they wish they had learned these techniques earlier. It would have saved them years of struggle."

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