Why You'll Love This Workshop:
You will find fun and easy ways to connect with your partner;
You will learn an easy way to reduce negativity in your relationship (+ increase positivity);
You will master three (3) conflict management strategies.
What You Get (pictured):
Six (6.0) hours of relationship content;
Facilitated application of The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work by 7 Principles Leader/Therapist who uses the Gottman’s research to help relationships like yours;
Videos + Examples of how to do exercises (and how not to do them);
One (1) copy of The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work reading book;
Two (2) copies of The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work Couple’s Guide workbook;
One (1) Love Maps Card Deck;
One (1) Open Ended Questions Card Deck.
What Alumni couples are saying:
The workshop was outstanding! Both presenters did a remarkable job of making the information interesting and applicable. I could have listened to them for another day. Well worth the time!!
I thought [Grayson] did a fantastic job of keeping us engaged, encouraging participating, and also reading the “room” (when you could tell everyone was tired and needing a quick break in the afternoon you allowed for that pause). [Grayson] kept it lighthearted (music choices helped, too) but also directed things in a way that allowed for focus and depth in subjects when needed.
My wife and I really enjoyed this Gottman class. We learned some really practical and applicable lessons we were able to apply immediately to our marriage. Grayson was a great teacher, explaining the topics clearly, concisely and with just the right amount of humor. Highly recommend!
Appropriate Couples:
The Seven Principles Couples Program is appropriate for couples considering engagement, premarital couples, couples living together, and for couples who have been together or married for decades. Diverse groups have the advantage of working through the material with couples in different phases and lifestyles, which normalizes the ongoing process of working on relationships and dealing with perpetual problems. (Gottman & Gottman, 2016). The workshop is fun and engaging in ways that will help your relationship flourish. The title of the class says "Marriage Work" but the class is designed to help all relationships and not those who are married. Dr. John’s research started in the 1970’s on newly married and married relationships and has since expanded to include relationships in the LGBT community and couples who aren’t married but are committed to one another. If you want to learn how to increase friendship, manage conflict and create shared meaning that lasts a lifetime, you are welcome to come!
Inappropriate Couples:
Psycho-educational classes are not appropriate for all couples, including those with severe relationship distress, significant emotional or physical abuse, serious emotional or mental health problems, relationships where one or both partners are actively addicted to drugs or alcohol, and relationships with serious compulsive behavior with gambling, sexual acting out and other compulsive behaviors. If this is your relationship, please contact Grayson for the next steps or other options to help your relationship (Gottman & Gottman, 2016).
Not Therapy:
This class is not to be considered individual or couples' psychotherapy. If your relationship is dealing with emotional abuse, domestic violence, unwanted touch, or substance abuse, this class is not appropriate, and you should instead seek individual or couples therapy for these problems. If you are interested in talking with someone who has been trained to use Gottman's research interventions to help your relationship, please contact Grayson Wallen or email him at Grayson@GraysonWallen.com or visit The Gottman Referral Network to find a provider in your area. If you are currently in psychotherapy or have a couples therapist please ask your therapist(s) about participating in this class and if it is right for you or your relationship needs (Gottman & Gottman, 2016).
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Will we have to share our personal problems and issues with the class? A: No. The class does not include sharing problems or issues publicly. Couples Exercises are done privately.
Q: Must both partners attend or can I come alone? A: Since the class involves couples doing exercises together, both partners must participate. If the class is offered over a period of time and one partner must miss a particular class meeting, then the other partner is encouraged to attend the lecture portion of the class. He or she may use the Couples Exercise time to do part of the exercises and then do the full exercise with their partner later. They may also use exercise time to read the Seven Principles book.
Q: My partner isn’t a reader. Can we still come to the class if he/she won’t read the book? A: Yes, still come to the class. While the book provides very valuable information, the class lectures will summarize the content of the book. Each person will need a Couples Guide, however, to do the Couples Exercises efficiently.
Q: Should we do the exercises in the book at home or save them for class? A: The class will involve doing some of the exercises from the book so doing them first at home would duplicate some of them. In some cases, the directions for doing the exercises in class have been revised and updated from those presented in the Seven Principles book. The Leaders also role-play how to – and how not to – do some of the exercises in order to help participants get the most out of each exercise. There are some exercises in the book that the class will not have time to do, and couples are encouraged to do them at home after that chapter has been covered in class (Gottman & Gottman, 2016).
Note On Credentials:
While this class is not considered psychotherapy or couples counseling, there are psychological and relational concepts taught upon. It is important for you to know that the presenter(s) are not fully licensed therapists in the state of California. Presenter(s) for this class have completed the Seven Principles Leader training from The Gottman Institute in Seattle, Washington and have the appropriate credential to teach this material to you.
Grayson Wallen is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (#12135) in Encinitas, California. Grayson is also a Gottman Seven Principles Leader and has completed the Level 3 Clinical Training from The Gottman Institute in Seattle, Washington.
References:
Gaspard, T. (2021, February 3). Timing is everything when it comes to marriage counseling. The Gottman Institute Blog. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https://www.gottman.com/blog/timing-is-everything-when-it-comes-to-marriage-counseling/.
Gottman, J. M. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work: Couples guide. Harmony.
Gottman, J. M., Gottman, J. S. (2016). The seven principles for making marriage work: Leaders guide.
Gottman, J. M., Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work (rev. ed.). Harmony. ISBN-13: 978-0553447712.