Stay or Go (discernment) Counseling in Decatur, Georgia

Stay or Go (Discernment) Counseling

If one of you wants to save the marriage but the other isn’t so sure, momentum in any direction can be hard to gain. Stay or Go Counseling is designed for you.
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A couple discussing a divorce and attending discernment counseling.

If you or your spouse are considering divorce, it is a difficult time in your marriage. If one of you wants to save the marriage but the other isn’t so sure, it can be hard to gain momentum in any direction. Stay or Go Counseling is designed for you. Also known as Discernment Counseling, it’s a chance to take some time to look at the options for your marriage. (Don’t be thrown by the words “marriage” and “divorce.” This is shorthand to include anyone in a committed relationship.)

Discernment counseling will help you decide whether to:

  • try to restore your marriage to health
  • move towards divorce, or
  • take a time out and decide later

The goal is for you to gain clarity and confidence about a direction, based on a deeper understanding of your relationship and its possibilities for the future. The goal is not to solve your marital problems but to see if they are solvable and if you both want to do what it will take to solve them.

You will each be treated with compassion and respect no matter how you are feeling about your marriage at the moment. There are no bad guys and good guys.

You will come in as a couple, but the most important work occurs in one-to-one conversations with the counselor. Why? Because you are starting out in different places.

The counselor respects the reasons for divorce while opening up the possibility of restoring the marriage to health. The counselor also emphasizes the importance of each of you seeing your own contributions to the problems and the possible solutions. This will be useful in future relationships, even if this one ends.

Discernment Counseling is NOT marriage counseling. It is brief and time limited, usually between 1 and 5 sessions, and it helps you decide if you want to spend the money and effort on marriage counseling. The first session is usually two hours and subsequent sessions are 1.5 hours.

Discernment counseling is not Suited for these situations:

  • When one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce
  • When one spouse is coercing the other to participate
  • When there is danger of domestic violence.

Watch these videos for more information on Discernment Counseling:

If your spouse won’t attend counseling with you, consider Couples Counseling for One.

Plum Tree Counseling is LGBTQIA+ affirming.

Hopeful, professional, and licensed clinicians who you can trust

At Plum Tree Counseling, we believe this represents turning hurting relationships into thriving ones, as well as recovering from the pain of a relationship that ends.
How it works

Book a free 10-minute consultation

Let’s start with a complimentary video or phone discovery consultation to determine if we’re am the best fit for you.
Book a free consultation

Schedule a 10 minute video or phone discovery consult to determine if I am the best fit for you.

1

Create a treatment plan

Meet in person or online, and together, we will develop and tailor your treatment plan to achieve your goals.

2

Get continued support

Schedule ongoing appointments so we can keep working toward your goals and get continued support.

3

Why choose us

There is hope!

Feeling better is just a click away.
Communication

Learn how to talk to each other so that your partner finally hears you.

Connection

Experience the connection with each other that you crave.

Intimacy

Have the intimacy that you did in the beginning… or even better!

Clarity

Decide with clarity the direction of your marriage.

Joy

Experience joy in your life and relationships again.

Feeling better is just a click away.

You deserve a loving and connected relationship! Don’t wait another day. Give us a call or book online immediately.
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What people are saying

We always protect the identities of our clients. With that being said, here are a few unsolicited endorsements from professionals who know us.