Greatest Is Love - $10

 

A pastor, counseling couples over a long career has found a unique way to create an experience, rather than "just talking." Designed with everyone in mind - those who are highly talkative, to those who require more time to think things through, this series of 10 conversations can be done one at a time over a date. There are no right or wrong answers, and the experiences will strengthen your relationship and desire to keep talking.

We're Going to Be One Happy Family...Or Else!

Paperback Version $12.99

E-Book download version $12.99  

Buy on Take Back Your Wedding on Amazon (no wedding vendor discounts given)

 

 

Therapy In A Box - $20

 

Can't afford a therapist, feel like you have a pretty good relationship, but want to go through what many therapists offer in private sessions?

 

This e-book for couples is interactive with exercises, worksheets and the space for couples journaling makes it a great keepsake for you and your fiance � to remind you of what you worked on in preparation for your marriage.

 

Therapy In A Box - $20

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Are you considering premarital counseling but cost or other issues getting in the way?

 

The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples is easy to follow, convenient and cost effective alternative to face-to-face therapy. It’s not meant to replace face-to-face counseling but rather provides another option for premarital education.

 

Therapy-At-Home Workbooks®: The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples is for couples to use together and provides a framework for you to strengthen your relationship foundation prior to marriage.  Its’ interactive format with exercises, worksheets and a space for couples journaling makes it a great keepsake for you and your fiance – to remind you of what you worked on in preparation for your marriage.

 

This premarital counseling workbook is 71 pages from start to finish and includes the couples counseling theories, methods and exercises used by her couples practice. It will provide you with guide posts leading to an understanding of the basic principles of a strong relationship foundation and emotional safety – the two driving forces underlying relationship counseling work.

 

This premarital counseling workbook will help you and your fiance:

 

1) Strengthen Your Communication Skills: Being able to effectively listen, truly hear and validate the other’s position is a skill that isn’t necessarily a “given” for many people. Couples that communicate well can discuss and resolve issues when they arise more effectively. I will help you tune up your talking and listening skills. This is one of the most important aspects of emotional safety between couples.  We will discuss in detail ways you can communicate effectively as well as look at conflict resolution skills.

 

2) Increase the Levels of Emotional Safety: Lisa Kift, LMFT has a very specific definition of “emotional safety” and way to assess the level between two people.  They are how much a couple feels respect, trust, prioritized, heard, understood, validated, empathy with and love from each other.

 

3) Explore Your Relationship Balance: How much attention is paid to the “you,” “me” and “we” of the relationship.  Couples who are out of balance can suffer a number of problems.  It’s ideal to identify where you’re both at, if you’re ok with it – or if adjustments might be beneficial to your relationship.

 

4) Identify Problematic Family of Origin Issues: We learn so much of how to “be” from our parents, primary caregivers and other early influences. If one of the partners experienced a high conflict or unloving household, it can be helpful to explore that in regards to how it might play out in the marriage. Couples who have an understanding of the existence of any problematic conditioning around how relationships work are usually better at disrupting repetition of these learned behaviors.  We’ll explore what each of you might be bringing into your relationship from your past – and whether there is anything to stay aware of.

 

5) Explore Your Marriage Logistics/Expectations: It’s incredibly common for married couples to never really have discussed “who” will be doing “what” in the marriage. This can apply to job, finances, chores, sexual intimacy and more. Having an open and honest discussion about what each of you expect from the other in a variety of areas leads to fewer surprises and upsets down the line.  We will take a look at you and your partner’s role expectations.

 

6) Develop Your Personal, Couple, Family Goals and Marriage Vision: It amazes me how many married couples have never discussed their relationship goals – let alone personal or family.  This is a long term investment together – why not put your heads together and look at how you’d like the future to look? Where do you want to be in five years? Approximately when would you like to have children? How many children? There are many areas that can be explored and it can be a fun exercise to do together.  You and your partner will each learn about the other’s goals and how to combine them into one vision.

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Elizabeth Doherty Thomas, is a co-founder of The First Dance, along with Marriage and Family therapist father Bill Doherty.� The First Dance is a 2007 Modern Bride Trendsetter award winner for taking on the complex family dynamics of wedding planning.� See what engaged couples and wedding professionals are saying about our book Take Back Your wedding. Our entire website is dedicated to offering advice on working through the people stresses of wedding planning as a couple, with your families, and how to strengthen your upcoming marriage through this enormous first task of married life.