Gone are the days when a marriage was the 'be all and end all' of life. Education and media have helped bring a definitive change in the attitude of the young Indian people towards marriage. However, due to the dichotomy of embracing a bicultural identity in a society where modernity and tradition coexist, Pre and Post marital counselling have, therefore, become extremely important for a smooth journey, in what is, perhaps, the most turbulent period for most couples. The journey towards marriage, whether from dating, cohabiting or arranged, requires many acceptances and negotiations between couples to ensure initial issues are smoothened out. When this does not happen, it can take years sometimes to deal with those issues, leaving them hurt, angry and frustrated. With each change in a couple's life, whether it is familial or societal expectations or the advent of children, a new set of issues is thrust upon the couple. If these issues are not resolved at the stage in which they develop, these issues take exponential proportion in the forthcoming stage of the relationship, thus, deteriorating the couples bond.

According to the age-old Indian ethics, a man and a woman are not allowed to live together unless they are married. The Indian culture still considers the concept of cohabiting relationships as sacrilegious. However, research shows that cohabiting relationships are prevalent in India, and that too, in substantial numbers to the extent that the prevalence of these relationships have warranted changes in the law of the Supreme Court of India. Despite this, apart from societal discrimination, cohabiting couples often also face issues with their partners regarding intimacy, commitment and fear of abandonment, out of which the latter is most significant. There are also many stereotypes still associated with cohabiting couples.

Dating relationships, typically, precede marriage and bear testimony to the young people's desire for the search of intimacy before marriage. Over 40% of young people in India are in relationships, out of which more than half are likely to have premarital sex. Dating and premarital relationships of these young people are rarely discussed within Indian families because parents believe that this may imply that they are, in a manner, approving their child's relationship. Studies indicate that acknowledging the child's dating relationship is beneficial for both the parents and their children. It also opens up an honest, open, safe and transparent dialogue of communication, where the parent becomes the person they turn to in their time of need. Not being able to share the ups and downs of their relationships with their parents can put pressure on these young men and women, and can lead to mental stress and unhappy relationships.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples are different from heterosexual relationships in their life goals, adjustment, stresses, gender dynamics, power struggles, family and societal expectations. Each couple has its own dynamics that stem from its strengths, struggles, conflicts, family backgrounds and its intimacy requirements.

Whether you are in a dating, cohabiting or married relationship;