Premarital Counseling

(Download a Premarital Counseling brochure here.)

The premarital counseling program at SBCC is in the spirit of Ephesians 4:12-13, "equipping the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

We strongly encourage couples who attend SBCC regularly to take part in this very beneficial program. Our hope is that by investing a small amount of time and money, you will be assisted in exploring areas of strength and possible growth in your relationship. By discussing key categories all married couples encounter, we hope you will find yourselves better prepared to enter the marriage relationship. We trust these sessions will encourage mutual commitment to the time and energy required for a healthy marriage.

Our aim is to provide you with caring, candid and honest feedback from the online professional premarital inventory (Prepare-Enrich) as well as our own marriage experiences. In return, we ask that you bring to this experience honesty with both yourselves and each other and openess to the process of change that all successful marriages require. Together we will ask the Lord Jesus to hear the prayers of our hearts.

Newly married couples (less than 2 years) who have never attended a premarital program before and attend SBCC are encouraged to participate as well.

The SBCC Premarital Counseling Program Consists of the Following Step:

1. After Engagement

Provide names, email addresses, pastor who will be marrying you, home group night and projected wedding date. You will be assigned to a counseling couple for each of the program's four marriage topics.

2. Testing

Once you have provided all of this information, you will be given an access code to take the Prepare-Enrich premarital inventory online. The cost of this assessment is thirty dollars and will be paid online prior to taking the assessment. Each couple will be provided with a report at their first counseling session which will highlight the findings of this inventory.

3. Three to Six Months Before Marriage: Four Evening Sessions

Attend an evening session with each of the four counseling couples assigned to you by the point person. Please contact each assigned counseling couple to make arrangements regarding the time and place to meet.

Family Backgrounds and Temperaments
Review Prepare-Enrich Inventory

Reed & Lisa Jolley
5236 James Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
967-6694
Contact Email

Steve & Donna Jolley
4529 Atascadero Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Contact Email

Phil & Cari Stone
5561 Coltrane Street
Ventura, CA 93003
654-9166
Contact Email

Financial Management

Josh and Jennifer Gustafson
5379 Paseo Orlando
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
964-1905
Contact Email

Scott & Julie Anderson
3094 Foothill Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
451-8607 (Julie's cell)
Contact Email

Spiritual Life, Roles and Expectations

James & Pam Nguyen
237 Spruce Drive
Goleta, CA 93117
685-3375
Contact Email

Sandy and Francine McOwen
200 Pebble Beach Place
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
964-7642
Contact Email

Brian & Jean Eckhart
422 Consuelo Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
964-4246
Contact Email

Sexual Intimacy

Steve & Heidi Palladino
531 De La Vista Avenue
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
962-7642
Contact Email

Dan and Deedee Underwood
5139 Cathedral Oaks Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
967-7067
Contact Email

Jerry & Georgina Dahill
6202 Stow Canyon Dr.
Goleta, CA 93117
967-5606
Contact Email

4. Six Months After Marriage: Follow Up

Six to twelve months after the wedding, you will have the opportunity to reconnect for an evening with one of the four couples with whom you previously met. This is a great time to share and be encouraged as you travel the path of being newlyweds. Cari Stone will be in touch in order to get this process in motion.