Traditional couples therapy assumes both partners are "all in." But what if one of you is "leaning out" while the other is "leaning in"? Discernment Counseling is a specialized, short-term process designed for couples at the brink of divorce. We provide a safe, high-level clinical space to decide the future of your marriage without the immediate pressure of "fixing it."
Our approach
The Insight
We explore the three paths: Keep things as they are, move toward separation or divorce, or commit to six months of intensive therapy with "divorce off the table." We help you understand each person's contribution to the current state of the relationship.
The Action
This is a time-limited, 1–5 session protocol. The goal is not to solve the marital problems, but to gain the clarity and confidence needed to make a permanent decision about the next phase of your lives.
Clinical methods
The 1-5 Session Structure
A goal-oriented framework that prevents the process from dragging on or becoming "more of the same."
Individual & Joint Breakouts
Allowing each partner to speak their truth to the therapist in a safe, confidential environment before coming back together.
Values-Based Decision Making
Helping both partners align their decision with their long-term values for themselves and their family.
How specialties work together at PPG
The PPG Difference: Whether you choose to reconcile or separate, the transition will impact your children. If you choose to move toward divorce, our Parenting Alignment and Child & Teen specialists are already in-house and ready to help you navigate a "child-centered" transition. We provide the emotional infrastructure to keep the family stable, no matter the outcome of the marriage.
