Engaged Couples Course - Let's Make It Work

This course will have a very positive effect on your relationship now and in your future married life. Couples explore their relationship in a variety of ways – strengths are recognised and the skills to make positive changes are identified and practised.

The course provides a safe and trusting environment. It will allow you to share common experiences and issues at a comfortable level. You share only experiences and issues you choose to share. Nobody imposes their ideas on you. You will work together as a couple to design a marriage that will work for the both of you. The course material provides you with tools to meet your challenges and work through issues before they become serious problems. The most effective educational model is one which allows couples to define together as a couple how they will make their marriage and family work.

A feature of RELATEWELL couples courses is that couples are introduced to four important experiences.

The first experience is that of having an individual space to reflect on their relationship. Each partner is given time to reflect on important issues which couples have chosen as a focus for change or development. Each participant is given time to assess the strengths in their relationship and any changes they would like to make happen. Each participant has time to assess their present ability to support their partner, share their thoughts and feelings and assess whether they yet have the close connection required for marriage commitment.

The second experience is that of having time in a couple place where the two partners without any distraction can share their hopes, dreams and fears about marrying.

The third experience is that of belonging to a small community of three couples. The small community emphasises that couples need to have the support of an extended family or a small group of friends who value their relationship as a couple and support each other in a practical way. At the same time being part of a community of couples enables couples to discover that other couples experience similar problems and challenges.

The fourth experience is being part of a larger community of all nine couples at the course plus the Educator / Facilitator. This larger group community represents the broader society and illustrates the value of being part of a proactive culture which emphasises the importance of continually enhancing the relationship between partners and family members. It can increase the couples awareness that the consumer society overemphasises material prosperity and financial success as the keys to happiness in marriage and family well being.

It provides an opportunity to explore the importance of the fine balance necessary between work and family life. It also emphasises the role of resource services provided by the Federal, State and Local Governments such as childcare centres, maternal and child health, play groups and relationship education courses.

Areas explored:

Couples at each course choose the specific issues they wish to explore. Some popular choices are as follows:

• Communication; conflict resolution and decision-making
• Exploring expectations; designing a marriage that works for both of us
• Mixing different family backgrounds and family influence
• Recognising and meetings needs – your needs, my needs, our needs
• Coping with stress
• Budgeting and financial planning
• Balancing work and family; adjusting to parenthood, twin careers, etc
• Reasons for marrying

Couples are encouraged to add to this list of issues and then vote on which issues will be the focus for the whole group.

Couples will receive a Certificate at the completion of this course.

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