Marriage HelperReviews of marriagehelper.com

I wish there was more support for long term standers (5 years and counting), but perhaps that is not the norm and why it feels so lonely.

It is difficult to absorb all this information while not arousing my wife’s curiosity. She is watching me to make sure I don’t draw the obvious conclusion she has a boyfriend.

I have several thoughts: 1. There was too much lecture. I would recommend a blend of lecture, videos, drama and small group discussion. I think 3 hours a day of pure lecture is sufficient, but I would add a video screen while the lecture is progress displaying charts, graphs, pictures, quotes, humor etc. which would stimulate interest and hold attention. The screen would also give a more modern updated feel. 2. DON’T RUSH!. I felt like the overall mode was “We gotta move; we have so much material to cover!” Even though there truly IS ton of material to go over, that should not be expressed during the lecture. Feeling rushed dampens receptivity and absorbability. The setting should be relaxed and free flowing. 3. Ditch the workbooks! I know conventional wisdom is that writing something down improves comprehension, but my experience is that trying to keep up with filling in the blanks while listening to a lecture is counterproductive. If you want to keep the workbooks, condense them and have everyone take a few minutes AFTER the lecture to do a worksheet by recall. Be creative and make it fun! For example, use a “word find” where you have to find the Four Horsemen. That way everyone can just relax and listen while watching a visually stimulating screen and then by completing the worksheet, they can see how much they absorbed. It will also reinforce what they learned. After a few minutes of completing the worksheet, have the answers on the screen, this will allow those who couldn’t remember to go ahead and complete the sheet. Allow 15 -20 minutes of question and answer. By this time the material should be firmly embedded. 4. I did NOT like the breakout sessions. I DO think breaking up into small groups is a great idea but don’t have everyone stand up before the group and give an impromptu speech, even if it’s for only a few minutes. This can be terrifying to a lot of people. Instead, have everyone sit in a circle and share from their seat. Also, instead of writing specific questions on the board for people to answer publicly, give more options. In other words, give everyone the option of (1), sharing what they learned, (2). Asking a question or (3) sharing an experience. 5. Incorporate well rehearsed drama to illustrate key points of the lecture. Make it a big deal with props and decorations. I would do 2 dramas a day, each one before the breakout session. This will greatly inhance interest in sharing during the breakout sessions. As you can tell, I’m very opinionated but…you asked for it! 😉

Most of the program did not apply to me and when I tried to participate I was never picked. I am married but in a difficult situation- neither of wants a divorce but triggers the other. My wife does not count my grandchildren as her. She says love is only in the movies. I buy flowers take care of her when she needs it(she just had surgery) and more.