A covenant marriage is a legally distinct kind of marriage in three states of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana. In a covenant marriage, the marrying spouses agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept more limited grounds for later seeking divorce. Prior to entering into a covenant marriage, a couple must attend premarital counseling sessions "emphasizing the nature, purposes, and responsibilities of marriage" and must sign a statement declaring "that a covenant marriage is for life". Unlike traditional marriages which can be dissolved easily, covenant marriages are harder to dissolve and require specific reasons for divorce. The limited situations in which a divorce is allowed include one spouse committing adultery, a spouse committing physical or sexual abuse of the other spouse or a child, a spouse committing a felony, a spouse using illegal substances, and both spouses living separately for one or two years. Couples married without a covenant marriage may also accept the obligations of a covenant marriage at a later date. Covenant marriages are recognized in only three states and are usually entered into for religious reasons.