Helping Couples Build Marriages That Last

Biblical Marriage Counseling in Santa Ana, CA

Faith Has a Foundation Here

Abundant Life Affordable Counseling is rooted in Christian values, and that is especially present in how this practice approaches marriage. Biblical principles naturally shape the way communication, commitment, and connection are understood and worked through in sessions. For couples who want their counseling to carry that same foundation, you will find it in every part of how this work is approached.

At the beginning of your work together, your clinician will ask how you would like faith to be present in your sessions. Some couples want scripture, prayer, and spiritual reflection woven throughout the work. Others prefer a lighter touch, with faith informing the approach but not at the center of every conversation. How deeply faith enters your sessions is always yours to guide.

People of all faiths, backgrounds, and walks of life are welcome here.

Recognizing Yourself in This

For Couples Who Take Marriage Seriously

This counseling is designed for couples preparing for marriage and for married couples who are ready to invest in theirs. The work here is grounded in Biblical values, and that foundation naturally shapes how sessions are approached and what they are built to create.

Common situations that bring couples in:

• Communication has become circular, distant, or tense, and the same conversations keep ending in the same place.
• Conflict follows familiar patterns that never seem to fully resolve, no matter how many times you have tried.
• You and your partner hold different approaches to parenting, finances, or how to build a life together, and those differences have become a source of friction.
• There is a quiet distance between you that has been building, and you are not quite sure how to close it.
• You are engaged and want to enter marriage fully prepared, not just excited.

Some couples arrive in a difficult season. Others come because they want to invest in a marriage that already has a solid foundation. Both have a place here.

🤝 Seeking counseling is an act of care, not a confession. The couples who do this work are not failing at marriage. They are committed to it.

What to Expect

Premarital or Married. Here Is How It Works.

Whether you are stepping toward marriage or already in one, the counseling here is structured, intentional, and built around your specific relationship. Two distinct paths are available, and both are grounded in the same approach: honest assessment, practical tools, and care that takes your relationship seriously.

For Couples Preparing for Marriage

Our premarital counseling is built around the PREPARE/ENRICH program, a structured, evidence-based assessment and counseling approach used with couples worldwide. Kathleen Shanahan is a certified PREPARE/ENRICH facilitator, which means the structured framework used here carries the same training behind this widely validated program.

Through guided assessment and conversation, you and your partner identify your relationship strengths and the areas that deserve more attention before you say your vows. We recommend starting at least six months before your wedding date, and beginning earlier means every area gets the attention it deserves.

For Married Couples

For married couples, counseling begins with an honest picture of where things are right now, what patterns are showing up, and what you are both hoping to move toward. From there, sessions are shaped entirely around your specific relationship and goals.

This kind of counseling works whether you are in a genuinely difficult season or simply want to invest in a marriage that already has a strong foundation. Many of the same areas covered in premarital counseling become relevant here, addressed through the lens of what your relationship needs now.

Across both paths, a central part of this work is understanding how each person gives and receives love. Exploring love languages alongside love styles, the deeper relational patterns shaped by each person's background and early experience, helps couples see where they connect naturally and where they tend to miss each other.

It gives both people a shared vocabulary and practical tools to close those gaps with intention, rather than waiting and hoping they close on their own.

Have questions about how this would work for your relationship, or not sure where to start? We are happy to talk it through before you decide anything.

Real Tools for Real Life Together

What Married Couples/Premarital Counseling Sessions Cover

Whether you are preparing for marriage or strengthening the one you have, here are the key areas this counseling addresses.

The Model Behind Your Care

Supervised by an Expert. Accessible by Design.

Married couples and premarital counseling is provided by clinicians working under the direct, individualized supervision of Kathleen Shanahan, a CAMFT Certified Clinical Supervisor. Every clinician is carefully selected and held to the same values and standards that define this practice, so the quality of care carries through at every step.

This model also makes skilled relational counseling more accessible. As clinicians build their hours toward full licensure under Kathleen's oversight, couples gain access to attentive, high-quality care at a significantly lower cost than what this kind of support typically runs.

Sessions are available in person at our Santa Ana office and virtually throughout California. Virtual care begins with a brief telehealth assessment to confirm that online sessions are the right and safest fit for your situation. If in-person sessions are a better match, we will walk you through what that looks like.

What Sets This Practice Apart

A Biblical Foundation Paired With a Proven Approach

Many therapists work with couples. Fewer bring a Biblical foundation to that work, and fewer still pair it with a structured, evidence-based program like PREPARE/ENRICH and the individualized care that makes a real difference for couples who are serious about their relationship.

This practice was built with the belief that the people who walk through the door are not just another appointment. From the moment you reach out, every part of this process is designed to make both of you feel welcomed, heard, and genuinely cared for. Your marriage matters here, and the work reflects that at every step.