“Such a small investment of time for such a great benefit.”

“We found a way to say what we’d never said before–and understand things we hadn’t understood before. When we understood each other, the problems were no big deal.”

These comments by couples who have recently attended a Mastering the Mysteries of Love workshop tell what happens. In a brief time couples learn skills that enable them to reach new depths of understanding of each other. When they do, problems that loomed large come down to a size they can deal with.

During this workshop you will learn how to:

• Speak in ways that will cause your partner to want to cooperate
• Understand your partner at a deep level, so even differences between you can be a source of caring and commitment
• Express understanding in ways that help your partner communicate from his or her deepest, best self
• Discuss issues and conflicts in ways that lead to solutions both of you feel good about
• Find and express the positives that are the glue that bind you together.
• Work out the details of agreements so issues resolved today are lived out tomorrow and next month
• Replace nagging reminders with reinforcing comments that help a partner follow-through on a commitment to change
• Stop patterns of conflict that eat away at your relationship
• Build affection through simple, easy to do activities

Each Mastering the Mysteries of Love workshop is small (3 to 8 couples), and couple discussions are private.  During the workshop couples practice skills while off to themselves.  The Saturday workshop focuses the couple discussions on ways the couple can communicate better, spend more enjoyable time together, and manage conflict.  During the four evening workshops couples have an opportunity to work through 2 problems and extend their use of skills to include children, other family, and even the workplace.

This workshop is intended equally for couples who wish to increase overall relationship satisfaction and for couples who want to begin to re-open channels of caring and love in their relationship.

Workshop presenters are Mary Ortwein, Jason and Rachel Day, Nancy Homb, and Matthew Roberts. Mary co-authored Mastering the Mysteries of Love with Dr. Guerney, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and is Executive Director of IDEALS. She teaches the program around the country. Jason and Rachel Day are a young couple who use the skills regularly in their own marriage and teach them to others. Jason is a teacher and Rachel is a marriage and family therapy  associate.  Nancy Homb is a marriage and family therapy associate with 15 years teaching experience.  She joins Mary in teaching the program around the country.  Matt Roberts is a marriage and family therapy associate who has also assisted with multiple presentations of the MML programs.

Workshops are offered at The Center, 306 West Main St in Frankfort at IDEALS of Kentucky.

Scheduled 2008 Workshops

• Mastering the Mysteries of Love, Part 1
• Saturday, February 16  9-5 at IDEALS office,  306 West Main St, Frankfort, KY   40601
•  Presenter: Mary Ortwein
• Fee $15 per couple because of co-sponsorship with Bluegrass Healthy Marriage Initiative and Bluegrass Healthy Marriage Partnership.  Fee includes snacks (coffee, donuts in the morning; soda & munchies all day) and Mastering the Mysteries of Love book.