We Have a National & World-Wide Problem

The Problem Defined: In this country the divorce rate is 50% for first marriages. Besides the pain and chaos for couples this also costs taxpayers $150 billion a year in court costs and child welfare. The problem is similar in most developed countries of the world. Many married couples live in unhappy relationships. Children are growing up in unfriendly, hostile, or deadened homes. Many single people also live without sufficient intimate and satisfying relationships.

There Are Good Solutions Available

When asked what they want most in their lives people say intimate, loving reslationships with a spouse, with their children, and with family members and friends more than anything. Anyone who is willing to work and learn can develop satisfying intimate relationships. Two parallel approaches are needed. One is to help people develop the relational strengths they already have that they are not fully aware of or that have become diminished. The second approach is helping people to be more assertive and move beyond their current problems into better ways of living and loving.

As a marriage and family coiunselor I have developed a very practical training program for couples and singles who are ready to change their lives through the power of better relationships. I have designed formal research on this topic: Examining Interpersonal Commitment and Autonomous Motivation as Predictors of Relationship Quality.

I Need Your Help in My Research

Join with me in this unique training program. Within several months I will launch the research study that serves as the basis for my doctoral dissertation on this subject of helping married and cohabiting couples improve their relationship satisfaction. I am a doctoral student at Northcentral University and expect to complete this research by the fall of 2010 and then devote my career to helping couples and singles. You may request participation in this initial study by emailing me at: kyle@12hourstoagreatrelationship.com.

Requirements for You and Your Partner to Participate

• Must be over 20 years old.
• Sign consent and confidentiality forms.
• Have been married, cohabiting, or dating for longer than 6 months.
• Willing to read 2 chapters from the training manual per week.
• Willing to practice at least one exercise from each chapter with your partner.
• Willing to take online assessments at measured intervals during training.
• Willing to post your comments about each of 12 learning modules in the online Couples' Forum to share with and learn from other participants.

What You Will Receive from This Training Program

• Most importantly I expect that you will gain a more satisfying relationship, especially in the couple's adaptive processes most important to you. The skills you develop will apply to all your relationships including marriage, parenting, friendships, and work associates.
• My training manual, 12 Hours to a Great Relationship, will serve as a reference book for future tune-ups.
• The training program itself which takes just 6 weeks of approximately 3 hours per week of reading, exercises, and online posts to complete.
• 24 hour access using your private user ID and password to all participants' comments on the online Couple's Forum.
• Supportive guidance from myself as researcher/facilitator for the duration of the training program.
• You may ask questions in the online Couple's Forum of other participants as well as myself.
• When my research is complete you will receive a copy of the data and results interpretations.
• All of your personal information is treated with complete confidentiality and kept under lock and key, and then destroyed after completion of the dissertation process. On the research web site and at Northcentral University your progress is associated only with a screen name. Members of the public are not permitted access to any of the web site except the Home page and my published articles on the Documents page.

How to Know if This Program is for You
and How to Join

I suggest you read the introduction on the home page. That describes what you'll learn as well as the reasons I've developed this program. There are articles on the Documents page you may read also. If you have questions or want to join the research program call (912) Couples or email me at kyle@12hourstoagreatrelationship.com.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope to meet you in the Couples' Forum if you decide to participate.