Newlywed Counseling+
Premarital Therapy
Therapist Lianna Kirakosyan
South Pasadena + Online Across California
I help engaged and newly married couples talk about the things that shape a marriage before those things become patterns.
Do you love each other deeply yet still feel unsure about how to talk about “the bigger things?”
Want a hand in how to handle money, navigate different cultures/families, sex, or something else?
Looking to learn tools like, “how to fight” in a way that’s healthy and reaches a resolution?
Most clients are done After
5 to 10 sessions,
with an option to extend
Couples Come To
Me WHEN THEY ARE:
Engaged or recently married
Avoiding awkward or taboo conversations
Coming from different cultural, religious, or family backgrounds
Noticing repeating friction points
Wanting practical tools before things get hard
Wanting to feel more like a team
Looking for more clarity
How Premarital Therapy
With Me Works:
DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DISCOVER, YOUR PREMARITAL THERAPY MIGHT ALSO INCLUDE SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FROM:
We start with the REPARE/ENRICH assessment which breaks down different parts of your relationship so we can see where your strengths shine and where your growth edges need support.
Each partner receives their own report. You don’t have to see your partner’s report unless you choose to share it.
The assessment gives us a shared language and a focused direction, so therapy feels cohesive, structured, and useful from the start. Additionally, it helps lower any pressure you might feel starting couples therapy by pointing us towards the best place to begin.
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Tools for communication, conflict, friendship, repair, and understanding the patterns that help couples stay connected.
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We look at how each of you responds to closeness, conflict, distance, reassurance, and emotional safety.
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EFT helps couples understand the emotional cycle underneath conflict, so you can stop fighting each other and start understanding what is happening between you.
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We build from what is already working in your relationship instead of treating your partnership like a problem to fix.
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We focus on practical next steps, real conversations, and tools you can actually use outside of session.
Premarital Therapy With Me Has Results
Together, we’ll work to understand things like:
“How do we get on the same page before marriage?” We’ll look at the areas that shape daily life together e.g., communication, finances, family expectations, intimacy, roles, values, and future goals. We focus areas that require attention for you to be able to move forward with more clarity and confidence.
“What if our families or cultures have different expectations?” We’ll explore how family, culture, tradition, loyalty, and identity shape your relationship, and help you decide what kind of marriage you want to create together.
“How do we build a foundation that can hold us through change?” We’ll strengthen the way you both listen, make decisions, support each other, and stay connected as life evolves. The goal is to help you work together like a well functioning team building something intentional.
After Therapy With Me
Couples OFTEN Report:
Feeling more like a team
Being more empowered to have hard conversations
Being on the same page about important topics
A stronger relationship
Understanding how to fight without damaging the connection
Less strain by addressing patterns early
About Me
Premarital + Newlywed Therapist
My therapy is grounded in a person-centered, trauma-informed, and integrative approach shaped by your unique history, goals, and relationship dynamics.
I draw from psychodynamic and strengths-based modalities, while also integrating mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and recovery-oriented tools when helpful.
As a second-generation Armenian woman, I bring a culturally informed lens to my work and understand how generational experiences can shape the way we relate to ourselves and others.
Therapy clients say I am as warm as I am direct.
I’m here to help you deepen your self-understanding and challenge patterns that no longer serve you, while also honoring the pace that feels right for your process.
Education, Training
and Credentials
Master of Science in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy Option, California State University, Northridge
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of California, San Diego
Certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator
Certified in PCIT for Traumatized Children
Certified in TF-CBT
4 Steps To
Get Started
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Send us a message to share what feels like is getting in the way in your relationship.
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A 15‑minute call to see if we align in values, expectations, and style of therapy.
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We’ll map what’s recurring in your relationship, what’s important to both of you, and begin establishing tools for change.
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Regular sessions where we build communication, connection, conflict repair, and relational safety.
Build the marriage,
not just the wedding.
You don’t have to figure it all out as you go.
You can enter this next chapter more aligned, more prepared, and more connected.
With structure, clarity, and techniques that help you understand each other before life asks more from you.