In preparing to be a para-professional counselor I am collecting "tools" in my counseling "tool box" that can assist in mentoring others. One of those tools has been to be trained as a Prepare/Enrich facilitator.
"PREPARE/ENRICH is a customized couple assessment completed online that identifies a couple's strength and growth areas. It is one of the most widely used programs for premarital counseling and premarital education. It is also used for marriage counseling, marriage enrichment, and dating couples considering engagement. Based on a couple's assessment results, a trained facilitator provides 3-4 feedback sessions in which the facilitator helps the couple discuss and understand their results as they are taught proven relationship skills. There are several goals of the PREPARE/ENRICH Program. In order to achieve these goals there are exercises designed to help couples improve their relationship skills. The program helps couples: Explore strength and growth areas ; Strengthen communication skills ; Identify and manage major stressors ; Resolve conflict using the Ten Step Model ; Develop a more balanced relationship ; Explore family of origin issues ; Discuss financial planning and budgeting ; Establish personal, couple and family goals ; Understand and appreciate personality differences"
This program leads the way in helping couples explore and strengthen their relationships.
The main component of the program is an online survey each person in the couple complete. It's not just any survey. The items each person responds to are based on research and intended to help the couple identify the unique strengths and potential growth areas for their premarital or married relationship. PREPARE/ENRICH has been improved and refined over the years to become one of the best, most effective, easy-to-use relationship assessment tools available.
Prior to Kurt's and my marriage, God gave me 1 Peter 3:8-12 as a foundation to build a marital relationship upon. This passage helped prepare and enrich me for marriage and has been a flagstone to know how to walk in the way God would have me.
"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For 'Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'"
Learning one's strengths and growth-potential areas personally and within a relationship can increase the strength and resiliency of the marital relationship.
Check it out - PrepareEnrich