Premarital Counseling in Westlake Village & Online

You are not just
planning a wedding.
You are building a life.

This is not about avoiding problems. It is about building something strong enough to hold them.

I am Amelia Mora Mars, LMFT #102384. I offer SYMBIS-based premarital counseling for engaged, recommitting, and remarrying couples in Westlake Village and through telehealth across California.

Every couple brings two full histories into a marriage. Two families, two ways of handling conflict, two sets of unspoken expectations. Premarital counseling creates a space to see all of that clearly before the wedding day rather than years after.

I have been married for 38 years. I know firsthand that a great marriage does not happen by accident. It is built intentionally, with honesty, commitment, and a willingness to do the hard and beautiful work of truly knowing another person.

That is what I help couples build — before the rings are even on.

Couple in premarital counseling in Westlake Village
Who this is for

Wherever you are in your relationship,
there is a place for you here.

This work is not only for couples preparing for a first marriage. It is for anyone who wants to build something lasting with intention.

Engaged couple

Engaged couples

Starting strong

You are excited and committed. Now is the time to talk honestly about expectations, history, and how you want to build your life together.

Couple marriage reboot

Marriage reboot

Recommitting with clarity

You want more than fine. You want to reconnect, rebuild, and create a marriage that truly reflects who you both are now.

Couple remarriage

Remarriage

Building with wisdom

You carry experience and hard-won clarity. This time you want to enter marriage with your eyes open and your foundation solid.

This is not about avoiding fights or bypassing difficulties. It is about building a marriage where both partners feel seen, respected, and understood. We want more than fine. We want flourishing.

The SYMBIS Assessment

A roadmap to each other
before the journey begins.

SYMBIS stands for Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts. It is a research-based assessment that helps couples understand each other at a deeper level before they say I do.

What it reveals

Your personality and how it shapes your relationship

The assessment identifies each person's unique personality traits and shows how they interact — where you naturally complement each other and where tension is likely to arise.

What it surfaces

Unspoken expectations before they become conflict

Money, family, roles, intimacy, faith, children — the topics couples often avoid until they are already in the middle of a fight. SYMBIS brings them into the open while the conversation is still easy.

How it works

A simple online survey followed by sessions together

Each partner completes a 30 to 45 minute online survey independently. We then meet to review your results together and use them as the foundation for your counseling sessions.

SYMBIS assessment report example

Faith-informed sessions are available for couples whose spirituality is central to their relationship. All backgrounds and beliefs are welcome. Premarital counseling is cash pay. HSA and FSA accepted.

What to expect

Thirty-eight years of marriage
taught me what the books
do not always say.

Session one

Getting to know each other

We meet, you complete the SYMBIS assessment, and we begin to understand what each of you is bringing to the relationship.

Sessions two and three

Reviewing your results together

We go through your SYMBIS results as a couple, naming the strengths and the growth areas with honesty and care.

Ongoing sessions

Building real skills together

Communication, conflict, intimacy, family, faith, finances — we work through what your results surface with tools you can use for a lifetime.

Fees

Cash pay with HSA and FSA accepted

Premarital counseling is not covered by insurance. HSA and FSA are accepted. Call for current session rates and package options.

A great marriage is not found. It is built — one honest conversation at a time.
Questions couples often ask

Before you begin

Is premarital counseling only for engaged couples?

No. I work with engaged couples preparing for marriage, married couples who want a relationship reboot, and couples preparing to remarry. The shared goal is to understand your relationship more clearly and build intentionally.

What is the SYMBIS Assessment?

SYMBIS stands for Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts. Each partner completes an online assessment covering personality, communication, conflict, family background, expectations, finances, intimacy, faith, and other areas that shape a marriage. We then review the personalized results together.

Can our Christian faith be included?

Yes. Faith can be integrated naturally when it is central to the relationship and the marriage you want to build. Couples from all backgrounds are welcome, and no spiritual framework is imposed.

Are online premarital counseling sessions available?

Yes. Couples may meet with me in person in Westlake Village or by secure telehealth when both partners are located in California.

Does insurance cover premarital counseling?

Premarital counseling is a cash-pay service and is not billed to insurance. HSA and FSA payments are accepted. Contact me for current rates and package details.

Start your marriage
with your eyes open
and your foundation solid.

A free 20-minute consultation. No commitment, no obligation. Just an honest conversation about where you are and whether this feels like the right fit for you both.

Schedule a Free Consultation Call (805) 244-8489