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Numerous studies document how marital and premarital inventories help promote better marriages by addressing differences in backgrounds, individual personality traits and expectations that may cause problems after marriage. These tools are based upon the fact that the quality of your premarital relationship can foreshadow your own marital stability and happiness, and that addressing significant differences can increase your chances of a life-long and happy marriage. The Relationship Inventory is oriented toward military personnel and law enforcement officers. The statements provided in the inventory, as well as the advice provided in the counseling insights, address issues that are not covered in most marital and premarital inventories available today. Military personnel returning from combat, as well as law enforcement officers who live and work in an environment where their lives can unexpectedly be threatened, need to address issues that people in other professions will ordinarily not confront. For example, one of the statements in the inventory is: "Are you both familiar with the symptoms and effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?" If one or both partners answers "no" to this statement, the counseling insights will provide information that will help them in the event that a military or law enforcement spouse finds himself or herself suffering from this disorder that, if not handled properly, could destroy an otherwise deep and loving relationship. Unlike most inventories administered and graded by counselors and clergy today, the Relationship Inventory is self-administered and totally confidential. Also, unlike the advice that you would be provided after completing other inventories that represents the training and experience of a particular counselor or clergy person, the advice provided by the Counseling Insights includes input from literally hundreds of couples, counselors, chaplains and members of the clergy that have contributed to this program. No letter or percentage grades are assigned after completing the inventory. However, the program will identify the potentially problematic issues that were computed as a result of your respective responses. The actual number of differences a couple might have is not as critical as the importance of the particular issues upon which they disagree. Hence, a disagreement over having or not having children can be far more critical than multiple differences over less important matters. Many couples lack the tools necessary to resolve certain problems in their relationship. Consequently, if you print out the statements that the program identified as "potentially problematic" and you find you are not able to resolve them by yourselves, you are strongly encouraged to seek professional help or order the Counseling Insights available on our website. With the help of these insights that partners read together before discussing a particular problematic statement, most couples are able to resolve their differences and be strengthened in their love for one another. Couples who reach an impasse and are unable to resolve a potentially serious problem even with the help of the Counseling Insights are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor, therapist or member of the clergy for counseling. In order to assist the professional and save time (and money) in identifying the specific problematic issues in your relationship, you are encouraged to complete Biographical Profiles that can be downloaded and printed from our website. These profiles, along with the printout of the particular issue or issues you are unable to resolve, should help the counselor or clergyman just as X-Rays or other diagnostic test results might help a doctor effectively treat a patient. |
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The Relationship Inventory |