God’s Plan for Marriage: A First Look at the CatholicPsych Marriage Preparation Program

September 10, 2025

An 8-week series with Kristin Beck Chmiel, CatholicPsych Partner & Mentor, in collaboration with Dr. Gerard McNicholas

I’m excited to finally share something that has been on my heart for a long time. Over the next eight weeks, I’ll be walking with you through reflections from Module 1 of the NEW CatholicPsych Marriage Preparation Program. My hope is that as you read along, you’ll not only learn about God’s plan for marriage, you’ll feel invited to live it as a sacred calling, a daily apprenticeship in love, and a lifelong journey of becoming a gift to one another.

This program was born out of a beautiful collaboration with Dr. Greg Bottaro, Founder and Director of the CatholicPsych Institute, and the CatholicPsych team. What began as my capstone project during the CPMAP Certification Program has, under Dr. Greg’s vision and guidance, grown into a seven-module, sponsor-couple–led journey designed to prepare couples for marriage, a marriage built to last.

While the CatholicPsych Marriage Preparation Program has not yet officially launched, consider this series a sneak preview of what’s to come.

These reflections will weave together spirituality, psychology, and Catholic anthropology, enriched by insights from Dr. Gerard McNicholas and informed by my experience of more than a decade of mentoring couples and 34 years of marriage.

Background

In 2022, I joined the first cohort of the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism (CPMAP) Certification Program, a formation that equips mentors to accompany others in their spiritual and mental health challenges, integrating the best of psychology and spirituality, undergirded by Catholic anthropology and grounded in the principles of St. John Paul II’s philosophy of the human person.

After completing certification, I came on as a CatholicPsych partner and devoted my first six months to writing and content creation for the core workbooks for engaged couples, along with a leader’s guide for sponsor couples.Together, these resources form the foundation of a sponsor-couple–led program designed to help couples prepare for marriage as a covenant of love and a total gift of self.

What to Expect

This series is based on the CatholicPsych Marriage Preparation Program. Each week, I’ll highlight a core theme from Module 1 (the first of seven) and explore it through the integrated lenses of spirituality, psychology, and Catholic anthropology. You’ll also hear from Dr. Gerard McNicholas, whose clinical expertise and pastoral perspective provide both depth and practical application for couples.

Here’s what’s ahead in this 8-part series on Module 1:

1. When the Wine Runs Out – How Christ enters into the insufficiencies of marriage

2. Marriage as Mission – The sacrament as a daily vocation to holiness

3. Love That Lasts – Building a foundation of patience, kindness, and forgiveness

4. More Than Romance – Friendship as the school of virtue in marriage

5. Praying Together – Prayer as the backbone of intimacy and trust

6. A Lifelong Apprenticeship – Embracing imperfection and learning love each day

7. Ordering Our Loves – Placing God first, then spouse, children, and others in right relationship

8. God’s Plan for Marriage – A wrap-up of Module 1 and a look at what’s ahead

Closing

Couples don’t just need preparation before marriage. They need encouragement and mentorship throughout every season of life. Whether newly engaged, raising children, or decades into marriage, the invitation is the same: to keep saying yes and to keep becoming a gift for one another.

That conviction has shaped both this program and the heart behind this series. Out of my own marriage and years of mentoring, I’ve seen how this daily “yes” builds love that lasts.

I’d love for you to walk this journey with me over the next eight weeks and receive an early glimpse of what’s to comewhen the CatholicPsych Marriage Preparation Program officially launches.