The workshop is designed to help military couples assess their relational strengths and weaknesses with the goal of achieving greater emotional and sexual intimacy in their lives. The assessment is accomplished with the help of a Marriage and Military Life inventory and counseling insights found in The Survival Guide for Marriage in the Military that addresses nine major areas of married life (e.g., communication, conflict resolution, finances, etc.). Following the completion and interpretation of their relational assessment, couples are taught how to deal with major issues and problems that can threaten their relationship (e.g., long-term deployments, frequent moves, infidelity, children from previous relationships). Ultimately, couples leave with a better understanding of each other’s expectations and are motivated, despite the challenges of life in the military, to take constructive steps to deepen their love for one another.
I. Introduction (Explanation of goal and methodology)
A. Goal: To help military couples assess their relational strengths and weaknesses and to come to a deeper understanding of each other’s expectations with the aim of achieving greater emotional and sexual intimacy in their lives.
B. Methodology: Completion of the Marriage and Military Life inventory found in The Survival Guide for Marriage in the Military followed by an examination of the most challenging issues and problems faced by married, engaged and dating military couples.
II. Completion of the inventory.
III. How to most effectively use The Survival Guide for Marriage in the Military to help resolve differences and promote a deeper appreciation of each other’s expectations, likes and dislikes
IV. What to do before, during and following deployments to keep your love alive and strong
V. How to avoid the most common financial problems and mistakes that contribute to the breakdown of many military marriages
VI. Avoiding and dealing with issues that can lead to divorce (e.g., infidelity)
VII. Questions and discussion of issues of particular concern to workshop participants (e.g., helping children cope with deployments; PCS tips to help reduce the stress associated with frequent moves; helping a partner suffering from PTSD)
The minimum length for this workshop for couples, as well as The Survival Guide workshop for professionals, is three and a half hours including breaks. Commands can schedule one or both workshops. They can record the workshops and make them available for viewing by couples and professionals that were not able to be present on the condition that a copy be provided to the author.
Arrange for this workshop to be given at your command by contacting
Gene Thomas Gomulka, author of Marriage and Military Life and The Survival Guide for Marriage in the Military available at www.plaintec.net.
Toll-free: 877-618-7076 – Fax: 614-748-5221