Snehalaya Family Service Centre

Official Website of Snehalaya Family Service Centre | Archdiocese of Bombay

Life is full of challenges, transitions, and emotions that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Counselling offers a safe, confidential space to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences, empowering you to navigate life's complexities with greater clarity and resilience.

Counselling is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a personalized journey toward healing, growth and fulfilment. Seeking help is a sign of strength and counselling offers a supportive path toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Marriage is a profound journey that calls for commitment, resilience and growth, grounded in love and respect. Recognizing the importance of this sacrament, Snehalaya Family Service Centre offers pre-marriage, post-marriage and individual counselling designed to provide individuals and couples with the insights, skills and spiritual support they need to foster a joyful, harmonious life or an enduring marriage.

Why choose Snehalaya Family Service Centre?

Holistic approach
Personalised
Non-Judgemental Space
Find your balance
Confidentiality ensured

CHALLENGES IN MODERN MARRIAGES

Lack of Pre-Marital Interaction in Arranged Marriages

Arranged marriages remain common in India, often leaving little room for couples to interact before their wedding. Many engagements are brief and weddings are planned in haste, resulting in a short courtship period. This limited time for meaningful conversations and deeper understanding can lead to unrealistic expectations and post-marriage adjustments. Additionally, inadequate family background checks may bring unforeseen challenges.

Misconceptions About Marriage as a ‘Fix-All’ Solution

In modern times, the sanctity and deeper purpose of marriage are often overlooked. Many enter marriage believing it to be a magical solution that will transform personal struggles, including addiction or behavioural issues. However, marriage is not an instant remedy—it requires commitment, effort and mutual growth. It is crucial for individuals to understand the real meaning of marriage before taking this lifelong step, ensuring they enter with the right mindset and realistic expectations.

Personality Differences and Adaptability Challenges

Every individual brings their own set of values, beliefs, behaviours and needs into a marriage. A lack of self-awareness and understanding of one’s personality can lead to compatibility and adaptability issues. A short courtship period often means couples do not have enough time to explore their differences or develop strong communication skills. Marriage requires emotional intelligence, flexibility and the willingness to grow together. Pre-marital counselling and self-reflection can help individuals better understand themselves and their partner, fostering a healthy, fulfilling marriage.

PRE-MARRIAGE COUNSELLING

Who Benefits?

Pre-marriage Counselling is designed for couples preparing for marriage, whether they are newly engaged or considering long-term commitment / marriage. It benefits anyone who wants to build a strong foundation for a lasting partnership. Couples of all ages and backgrounds can gain valuable insights from pre-marriage counselling, regardless of how long they have been together.

When Should You Go?

The best time for pre-marriage counselling is in the months leading up to the wedding, ideally before wedding planning becomes too overwhelming. This allows time for open conversations about important topics that often get overlooked in the excitement of the engagement period.

How Does It Help?

Pre-marriage Counselling addresses fundamental areas that contribute to a healthy marriage, including:

• Communication and Conflict Resolution: Counselling helps couples learn to communicate openly, listen actively, and resolve conflicts constructively.

• Shared Values and Expectations: It encourages discussions on values, family roles, career goals, finances, intimacy, and more, so couples enter marriage with a clear understanding of each other’s expectations.

• Spiritual and Emotional Preparation: For couples from faith-based backgrounds, pre-marriage counselling offers a way to explore the spiritual dimension of marriage, reinforcing their shared beliefs and values.

• Practical Tools for Long-Term Happiness: By providing practical tools and resources, pre-marriage counselling empowers couples to handle life’s challenges together, fostering a resilient partnership.

By helping couples build a solid foundation, pre-marriage Counselling empowers them to approach their wedding day with greater awareness and confidence, ready to embark on a lifelong journey of shared faith and mutual love.

POST-MARRIAGE COUNSELLING

Who Benefits?

Post-marriage Counselling is beneficial for any married couple, whether they have been together for a few years or several decades. It is especially valuable when couples encounter difficulties, face major life transitions, or feel disconnected.

When Should You Seek It?

Couples should consider post-marriage counselling when they notice recurring issues, experience heightened stress, or feel emotionally distant. This could include situations like adjusting to parenthood, managing work-life balance, dealing with financial stress, or recovering from a breach of trust. Seeking counselling early can prevent minor issues from becoming major conflicts.

How Does It Help?

Post-marriage Counselling provides a safe space to discuss challenges and strengthen the marital bond. Benefits include:

• Reconnecting Emotionally and Spiritually: Counselling helps couples re-establish emotional and spiritual connections that may have faded over time.

• Tools for Conflict Resolution: Couples learn strategies for managing conflicts and overcoming difficult conversations without damaging their relationship.

• Renewing Commitments: By revisiting the values and goals that initially brought them together, couples can renew their commitment to one another and strengthen their relationship.

• Building Resilience Through Life Transitions: Whether it is adjusting to a new phase of life or dealing with unexpected challenges, counselling equips couples to support each other in times of change.

The church recognizes that marriage is not just a partnership between two people but a relationship blessed by God and supported by a community. Counselling offer not only practical tools but also spiritual encouragement, allowing couples to draw strength from their faith and community. Couples often express that this guidance from the church is invaluable, offering them a pathway to resolve challenges and deepen their commitment.

STARTING AFRESH AFTER AN ANNULMENT OR BREAK-UP

Marriage is a sacred commitment and for those entering a second marriage—whether after an annulment or the end of a previous relationship or marriage —counselling can play a crucial role in ensuring a strong, healthy foundation.

Who Benefits?

• Individuals preparing to remarry after receiving an annulment.

• Couples where one or both partners have been previously married and are starting a new life together.

• Those seeking emotional healing and clarity before committing to a new relationship.

When Should You Seek Counselling?

• Before entering a second marriage to ensure emotional readiness and clarity.

• After an annulment or divorce to process past experiences and avoid repeating negative patterns.

• When concerns about trust, commitment, or emotional baggage arise.

• While blending families, adjusting to stepchildren, or merging different family traditions.

How Does It Help?

• Healing from the Past: Counselling helps individuals process past hurts, disappointments, and emotional baggage, ensuring they enter a new marriage with a fresh perspective.

• Building a Stronger Relationship: Couples learn to communicate openly about expectations, fears and hopes for the future.

• Developing Healthy Boundaries: Understanding personal boundaries and those of a new partner is key to avoiding past mistakes.

• Blending Families Successfully: If children are involved, counselling can help navigate relationships with stepchildren and co-parenting dynamics.

• Strengthening Spiritual and Emotional Readiness: For those with faith-based values, counselling provides guidance on entering marriage with the right mindset and a commitment to shared values.

A second marriage is an opportunity for a fresh start, but it requires intentional effort and emotional healing. Through counselling, couples can ensure they build their new life on trust, love and faith—without being weighed down by the past.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING

Who Benefits?

Individual counselling is for anyone seeking personal growth, emotional support, or strategies to cope with life’s challenges. Whether you're dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, or simply feeling stuck, counselling can help. It’s particularly beneficial for:

• People facing life transitions (e.g., career changes, relationship shifts, or moving to a new place).

• Individuals experiencing emotional struggles such as anxiety, depression or feelings of inadequacy.

• Anyone seeking self-improvement or personal growth, including developing confidence, improving relationships or achieving life goals.

• Spiritual seekers aiming to align their lives with their faith or purpose.

When Should You Seek It?

There’s no “perfect” time to start counselling, but some common situations may indicate it’s the right moment to reach out:

• When you feel stuck or overwhelmed: If you are struggling to move forward or feeling burdened by life’s demands.

• When relationships are strained: If your personal or professional relationships are suffering due to unresolved conflicts or miscommunication.

• When emotions feel unmanageable: If feelings like sadness, anger or worry are affecting your daily life or decision-making.

• During major life changes: Transitions like starting a new job, experiencing loss or adjusting to parenthood can be challenging to navigate alone.

• If you want to explore your potential: Counselling can help you discover strengths, set goals and achieve personal growth.

• When past trauma impacts your present: Unresolved experiences from the past may resurface and need addressing for healing and peace.

How Does It Help?

Individual counselling is a collaborative process between you and your counsellor, designed to meet your unique needs and goals. Here’s how it can benefit you:

• Provides a safe space to talk: Counselling offers a judgment-free zone where you can share your thoughts and feelings without fear of criticism.

• Improves emotional well-being: By addressing feelings like anxiety, sadness, or anger, counselling helps you regain a sense of balance and peace.

• Enhances self-awareness: You’ll gain deeper insights into your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions, empowering you to make informed choices.

• Builds coping skills: Counsellors teach strategies to manage stress, handle conflicts, and overcome challenges effectively.

• Fosters personal growth: Counselling helps you identify and overcome obstacles to reach your full potential, whether in your career, relationships, or personal aspirations.

• Heals past wounds: By working through unresolved issues, counselling provides a path to healing and moving forward.

• Supports mental health: For those struggling with anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns, counselling offers professional care and tailored interventions.

Who Should Consider It?

Counselling is for anyone ready to invest in their well-being, whether you're facing immediate challenges or simply want to grow as a person. It is especially beneficial for:

• Students, young adults, singles or married individuals navigating academic pressure, career choices, or relationship challenges.

• Professionals dealing with work stress, burnout, or balancing personal and professional life.

• Parents / single parents managing parenting stress or adjusting to life changes like empty nesting.

• Seniors coping with retirement, grief or life transitions.

Individual counselling is a powerful tool for anyone looking to understand themselves better, overcome challenges, or improve their emotional well-being. It is not just for moments of crisis but also for those who want to grow, learn and thrive. Whether you are taking your first step toward self-discovery or seeking support for a difficult moment, counselling can guide you toward clarity, confidence and inner peace.

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