Other Marriage Preparation Resources
- Psychometric inventories for couples can be used on their own or as part of a marriage preparation course, as a basis for discovering what couples share and where differences lie. They are an excellent tool for marriage preparation and are available from two networks of practitioners:
What is FOCCUS and how does the process work?
FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication Understanding and Study) is a diagnostic inventory. It is designed for couples considering committing themselves to a long-term relationship. It is now regularly used as part of the Holy Trinity Brompton Marriage Preparation course, where couples who have some years of marriage experience are trained to mentor engaged couples through their marriage preparation process.
First of all individuals, intending a commitment to a long-term relationship, respond separately to 156 FOCCUS statements on the Internet and the couple subsequently discuss between themselves what they think and feel about each topic.
The second stage occurs with the help of a mentor couple (or in some cases an individual mentor), who use a report, based on the couple’s responses. When a couple take FOCCUS, they choose a mentor from a list on the web and make an arrangement to meet a week or two after they have completed the inventory, and meanwhile the mentor is sent a copy of their report. The mentor(s) work with the couple, looking at patterns in the responses, discussing issues, and assisting them to resolve problems, usually in conjunction with some exercises.
There are several trained practitioners for both FOCCUS and Prepare/Enrich in the Diocese.
Contact ruth@flamefamilychichester.co.uk Tel 01323 893508
- Marriage Care has produced three videos on Communication, Conflict and Commitment, called Marriage: What it Takes (£44.00), which provide five-minute snippets for inclusion in a marriage preparation programme.
These are available from St. Paul’s Bookshop Tel 020 782 85582 Their marriage preparation manual contains everything required to run a course, and is available for the postage cost of £7.Email your postal address to:
Lucia@marriagecare.org.uk Tel 020 7371 1341 www.marriagecare.org.uk
Examples of low-cost, no-frills packs with handouts and worksheets have been produced by field-workers in the FLAME network, such as Sheila Fletcher of the Diocese of Exeter, who has run workshops for clergy in this diocese. Sample copies may be borrowed from Hugh and Ruth Atherstone.
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