Three hands stacked on a dark wooden table, two women and one man wearing rings on their ring fingers, with a potted plant and a phone partially visible in the background. Telehealth couples counseling with Meghann Carvin Therapy

Marriage by Design

Online Premarital Counseling in Washington State

You are planning a wedding. But more importantly, you are building a marriage. Marriage by Design is a structured premarital counseling program for engaged couples in Washington State who want to enter marriage with clarity, confidence, and emotional security. This is not crisis counseling. This is intentional preparation. If you want more than love and chemistry, if you want partnership, depth, and stability, if you want to feel chosen and understood long after the wedding day, you are in the right place.

Marriage by Design is an online premarital counseling program available to engaged couples throughout Washington State. All sessions are conducted via secure telehealth, with evening appointments available Monday through Thursday, 3 to 8 PM. Sessions are $150 per session and private pay.

Why Premarital Counseling Matters

Many couples assume love will carry them through anything. Love is important. But skill, self awareness, and shared vision are what sustain a marriage. Research from Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Gottman shows that couples who build emotional safety, manage conflict well, and create shared meaning are far more likely to thrive long term. Premarital counseling gives you the space to slow down and talk about what truly matters before patterns become painful. It helps you understand not just how you love, but how you argue, how you repair, how you handle stress, how you define loyalty, and how you define partnership. Marriage by Design integrates Gottman Method principles with Narrative Therapy so that you are not just learning skills. You are shaping the story of your marriage together.

Who This Program Is For

This online premarital counseling program is for engaged couples in their twenties, thirties, and forties who want to strengthen communication before marriage. It is also for culturally diverse and intercultural couples navigating different backgrounds, same sex couples seeking affirming and inclusive support, and couples who want structure and depth rather than surface level conversations. You do not have to be struggling to benefit from premarital therapy. The strongest couples are often the ones who prepare intentionally.

A black and white close-up photo of a couple with eyes closed, gently touching foreheads and faces, outdoors with blurred trees and flowers in the background.

What We Will Work On Together

Marriage by Design is structured and guided. Each session builds on the last.

Communication and Emotional Safety

You will learn how to express needs clearly and respond to each other without defensiveness. Emotional safety is the foundation of intimacy. Without it, small disagreements can become large fractures.

Conflict and Repair

Every couple argues. The difference between thriving and struggling couples is how they repair. You will learn how to navigate conflict in ways that protect your connection rather than damage it.

Family of Origin and Culture

Your families, culture, and past experiences shape how you see marriage. We explore expectations, roles, traditions, and unspoken assumptions so that nothing important stays hidden.

Roles, Finances, and Responsibilities

Money, household labor, career ambition, and parenting expectations are some of the most common sources of long term resentment. We address them directly and thoughtfully.

Intimacy and Connection

Emotional and physical intimacy deserve open conversation. You will build language and clarity around closeness, affection, and long term connection.

Shared Vision and Meaning

What kind of marriage are you building? What values guide you? What does partnership mean to each of you? These are the conversations that shape everything.

A young man and woman sitting on a blanket on a grassy hill at sunset, with the man holding a guitar and the woman wearing sunglasses, overlooking a scenic landscape of mountains and lakes.

Online Premarital Counseling in Washington State

All sessions are conducted virtually for couples located anywhere in Washington State. Online premarital counseling allows you to meet from the comfort of your home while still receiving structured, high quality support. Virtual therapy works. What matters most is intention, presence, and guided conversation. Telehealth simply makes that more accessible.

Inclusive and Affirming Support

Marriage by Design is welcoming and affirming for same sex couples and LGBTQ+ partners. It is also intentionally supportive of culturally diverse and intercultural relationships. Every relationship carries its own context. Your identity, culture, race, and lived experience influence how you view marriage and partnership. We make room for those conversations with respect and depth.

Ready to Build Your Foundation?

A couple sitting on a park bench underneath large green trees, with their arms around each other, in a peaceful outdoor setting. Telehealth couples counseling with Meghann Carvin Therapy

If you are engaged and ready to prepare for marriage with intention and care, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We will talk about what you are hoping to work on and whether Marriage by Design feels like the right fit for you both.

Schedule a Free Consultation