A Great Tool For Premarital Counseling: The SYMBIS Assessment
One of the most rewarding things I get to do is to sit down with couples and help them prepare for marriage. I feel that premarital counseling is essential, and it’s something that I require before I will officiate a wedding. Over the years, I have used several different books and resources to help facilitate the discussion, but I have recently become certified with a new assessment tool that is a great tool for any pastor or counselor.
The SYMBIS Assessment is based on the book Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott. It is an online assessment that is taken by both the prospective bride and groom. A summary report is then emailed to the counselor who can use it to facilitate discussion with the couple. The report is great in starting a conversation. It has information on goals, personalities, expectations, relational wellbeing, and more.
There is a cost associated with becoming certified to use this assessment. It costs $200 to go through the training to become certified. It is all done online, but it is thorough and really helps you understand how to use the assessment as a tool in counseling. For the couples, there is a cost of $35 to take the assessment. That’s a small cost when you consider the amount of time and money that go into preparing for a wedding. My prayer is that each couple will put time and effort in planning for the future of their marriage.
This is a great tool that I’m excited to start using for couples. If you are a pastor or counselor, I encourage you to check it out.
THE SYMBIS REPORT
Effective pre-marriage counseling simply does not get better or easier than this. Our 15 power-packed pages provide you with:
- Valid and reliable results backed by decades of research
- A ready-made process that flexes to your needs
- Engaging exercises and numerous conversation starters
- Applicability for individual couples, groups and classes
- A snapshot summary of a couple’s trajectory
In short, SYMBIS is accessible, relevant, non-threatening and immeasurably practical.
