Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Education Programs

The keys to success for happy marriages are not magical nor do they involve luck. Skills in effective communication and conflict resolution along with opportunities to grow together as a couple impact relationship satisfaction.

To support the development and maintenance of healthy marriages, the Family Life Council’s Guilford County Marriage Resource Center offers several different marriage preparation and marriage enrichment programs. All of the programs listed below can be helpful to couples thinking about marriage, engaged, newly married, or married for many years. To learn more about Marriage Enrichment programs and resources, please check out the Guilford County Marriage Resource Center website.

Interested in a program? Check the calendar of events for already scheduled programs or click here to learn how you can schedule a program at your location.

Building Healthy Relationships

The core of the Building Healthy Relationships program is based on the Building Relationship Program by  David H. Olson, John DeFrain and Amy Olson. This program seeks to help youth develop their personal and relationship skills which they can use in all of their relationships throughout life. Topics in the program include effective communication, conflict resolution, dating, and marriages today. Programs are offered by the Family Life Council to middle to high school students at a wide variety of sites including public and private schools, churches, group homes, housing communities and community centers. Contact Becky Starnes at rstarnes@flcgso.com or 333-6890 x227 for more information.

Couple Communication I: 

This 4-week workshop teaches partners to communicate better and resolve their conflicts, in other words, to build a more satisfying relationship with each other. Couples will learn skills that will change the way they talk and listen.

Couple Communication II: 

This advanced program extends the use of skills taught in Couple Communication I into processes for you to take charge of your relationship, manage anger better, and build a collaborative partnership. Couples must have attended Couple Communication I before attending this workshop.

Empowering Couples:

This program involves a series of informal discussion-based workshops that address the most common issues affecting married couples – finances, communication, conflict resolution, and family-of-origin issues. Groups meet weekly for 4-8 weeks.

8 Habits of a Successful Marriage

A blueprint for creating a successful marriage is laid out in this program for engaged and married couples. The strategies are practical for creating and maintaining a strong and satisfying marriage.  This program was created by the Franklin Covey organization.  Programs meet for 3-5 sessions.

How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk (or Jerkette)

The Guilford County Marriage Resource Center offers a workshop entitled “How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk or Jerkette.” This exciting workshop for singles focuses on how to create a healthy and strong relationship from the beginning. If you would like to learn how your organization can sponsor a “How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk or Jerkette” program, please contact us at rstarnes@flcgso.com or call 336-333-6890 ext. 227.

PREP (Preparation and Relationship Enhancement) Also known as “Fighting for Your Marriage”:

This nationally acclaimed, and intensely researched program focuses on teaching couples how to manage their conflicts in a way to protect and nurture their relationships. All couples will have conflicts, what differentiates strong, long-lasting relationships is how those conflicts are handled. Groups can meet in a variety of formats – weekly or a weekend retreat.

Prepare Inventory

By completing the PREPARE / ENRICH Inventory, engaged couples learn more about their strengths as a couple and about areas of growth.  Couples complete a 150-item questionnaire individually.  The results of the inventories are then summarized and couples then meet for 5 sessions with a counselor trained to administer and interpret the inventory. 

• For couples who are already married and looking for enrichment, the ENRICH inventory is available. 
• For couples who are marrying and one or both of them have children from a previous relationship, the PREPARE-MC inventory is available.
• For couples who are cohabiting, the PREPARE-CC inventory is available. 
• For couples who are over the age of 50, the MATE inventory is available. 

 

The Guilford County Marriage Resource Center is able to offer the administration and interpretation of this inventory for only $80.  To learn more or to set up an appointment, contact the Guilford County Marriage Resource Center at info@gcmarriage.org.