Monday, October 23, 2006; Posted: 8:23 p.m.

Some changes will soon take place with the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative.

Currently couples who receive premarital counseling through an ordained minister can get a discount on their marriage license.

However, starting November 1st, the same discount will be given to those who receive counseling from a minister or an accredited department of human services counselor. This is an effort to get more couples to use premarital counseling.

Marital and family therapist Carolyn Greenwood says couples often turn to divorce when they don't know how to handle issues that inevitably arise.

Greenwood said, "If that's all brought out on the table beforehand and you're provided with the coping skills then you can deal with it better."

Greenwood uses the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program, or PREP, to raise issues that may arise in the future. The PREP program also teaches couples effective ways of communicating.

Since the program began more than 80,000 couples have been involved.