What's New at this year's Smart Marriages Conference
Workshops and Institutes:

WORKSHOPS:

201
The Five Love Languages – TOOB
Gary Chapman, PhD
Help couples learn to speak their spouses’
“love language”, make the transition from the
“in love” to the “covenant love” stage and avoid
the trap of getting the “tingles” for someone
other than their spouse.
 
202
Mindful Marriage
Pat Love, EdD, Jon Carlson, PsyD
Learn to apply mindfulness techniques, practiced
for over 2500 years, as an add-on to marriage
counseling or education to increase awareness,
kindness, acceptance, and love.
 
203
The Couple Checkup
Peter Larson, PhD, Ron Deal, MMFT
Add this research-based online assessment to
improve premarital (dating, engaged, cohabiting),
married, or remarried programs. Free Discussion
Guides, Leader’s Guide & Group Reports.
 
207
Celebrate Your Marriage – TOOB
Jay and Laura Laffoon
This 8-session, DVD, faith-based program teaches
5 essential actions that foster an environment of hope.
Humor driven, interactive. Use with any marriage
education program.
 
208
The Future of Monogamy
Peggy Vaughan
It's time to tackle the patterns of serial marriage
and serial/temporary monogamy that threaten to
make long-term marriage almost obsolete. Q & A
about affairs, monogamy and future strategies.
 
210
1-2-3 Magic
Tom Phelan, PhD
Teach parents easy-to-follow steps for disciplining
kids ages 2-12 without arguing, yelling or spanking
and when – and how – silence can speak louder
than words.
 
211
Healing From Upsets
Susan Heitler, PhD
Just as physical wounds need cleansing to prevent
infection, effective couple healing strategies cleanse
emotional wounds to ease hurt feelings, anger and
resentment – and also to prevent repeat episodes.
  
217
Love Notes – TOOB
Marline Pearson, MA
Use activities & PREP skills to reach youth 16-24
at risk for unplanned pregnancy/single parenting
to help them form healthy relationships & “get”
the connections between marriage, fatherhood &
child wellbeing.
 
218
HOPE Weekend: Educational Intensives
Rick Marks, PhD, Tabitha Staier, PhD, CFLE
This program combines attachment, communication,
emotional regulation, self-awareness and self-management
skills with principles of faith to restore marriages in crisis.
 
219
Facebook and Marriage
Jason and Kelli Krafsky
300 million people use Facebook. Take your program
to the masses by tapping its free & low-cost marketing
tools.  Plus learn how to help couples protect their
marriages from its dangers.
                  

303
Dating and Cohabiting Couples
Scott Stanley, PhD, Galena Rhoades, PhD
The latest research on relationship formation and
commitment identifies the most effective ways to
recruit and work with dating and cohabiting couples
and singles to impact their future marital success.
 
304
Through Sickness
Hank Sibbing, JD, MS, Jon Carlson, PsyD, EdD
Illness can strike any time, but as we age sickness
increases and marriage becomes less about fun and
romance and more about survival and coping. Learn
crucial deep love practices to help couples deal with
these life changes.
 
308
Affairs: Step-by-Step to Recovery
Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW
There isn’t one right approach, but it helps to have a
map of the territory. How much disclosure? What should
you do when the affair is on-going? Learn a flexible
approach that works!
 
309
Stepfamily 911: Crisis Intervention – TOOB
Carri Taylor, Gordon Taylor, MA
First marriages and remarriages are as different as
apples and oranges. Use the right paradigm and tools
& you can calm even the hottest issues (parenting,
money, boundaries) and avert disaster.
 
311
Prepare-Enrich-Inspire for Teens – TOOB
Jessica Pool, MS, Amy Olson-Sigg, MA
Based on decades of (P/E) research, P-E-I explores
how relationships impact quality of life and teaches
skills necessary for teens to create healthy
relationships (now and in the future).

312
Coaching Couples
Joseph Hernandez, PhD, Ana Morante, MS, CFLE
People do the best they know how but still end up in
pain and disappointment. Learn and practice coaching
skills the Family Wellness way to help couples fully
enjoy each other, rather than just co-exist.
 
313
Establishing a Marriage Ministry in Your Church
Richard Albertson, Rob Harrison, MA
Learn about the rich variety of effective, affordable,
mentor-based, easy-to-teach programs, do’s and don’ts,
and roadmaps for success.

314
Why Knot? Marriage-Readiness for Men – TOOB
Ken Gosnell, MDiv, MA
This program addresses the negative beliefs and
attitudes many men hold about marriage and moves
men and single fathers to a positive “readiness” view
of marriage.
 
315
Army Community Covenants
Michael Strohm, MDiv, Laura DeFrancisco,
Kelly Simpson, MA, Elizabeth Carroll, JD, CFLE
Strong marriages and families make for a strong
fighting force. The Army can’t do it alone. Learn how
civilian marriage & community programs can provide
support, especially with Guard and Reserve, but also
with active duty families.
 
317
The Building Strong Families Research
Robin Dion, MA
Understand the first round of rigorous research
evidence on how low-income unmarried couples were
affected by eight Building Strong Family (BSF)
relationship-strengthening programs.
 
 
403
Reprogramming Your Relationship
Terry Hargrave, PhD
The best change is built on accurate insights
combined with skills and practice. Help couples
see into their past plus give them step-by-step
practices targeted at both cognitive and
behavioral change.
 
409
Mastering the Mysteries of Stepfamilies
Nancy Landrum, MPsy
Use tools like The Nails game, True/False Quiz,
the Stepfamily House, Stumbling & Building Blocks
Guidelines to help stepcouples learn how to manage
the challenges over which they have control.

410
ScreamFree Marriage
Hal Runkel, MS
A revolutionary program that helps couples
calm down, grow up, and get closer by learning
to embrace conflict and practice a calm
self-representation as foundations of a
great marriage.
 
411
Positivity Transforms Relationships
Vagdevi Meunier, PsyD
Use Positive Psychology concepts to help
couples build gratitude, compassion, curiosity,
admiration, and other approach-oriented skills
to transform relationships and boost satisfaction
and success.
 
412
Mindful Way Through Alcohol Abuse
Jon Carlson, PsyD, EdD
The Mindful Way, through tools like breathing
and "urge surfing", helps couples and families
achieve balance & learn either to use alcohol in
moderation or maintain their goal of abstinence. 
 
415
The Legacy Campaign
Rozario Slack, DMin, MDiv
We must stop the epidemic of fathering out of
sequence! Learn the tools to engage and teach
urban males Manhood first. Husbandhood second.
THEN fatherhood!
 
416
Asian-American Marriages
Paul Wu, PhD, MSW, MDiv
Understand the inter-cultural differences that
lead to conflict and a model of marriage mastery
that includes skills, spirituality, small group
networking.
 
417
Before the Falls: Divorce Reconciliation Project
Bill Doherty, PhD, Don Gordon, PhD
Divert divorcing couples using an online program
that teaches conflict resolution & cooperation skills
and engages attorneys and counselors who encourage
and teach the steps to reconciliation.
 
420
Establishing & Sustaining Community Marriage Initiatives
Josephine Hauer, EdD, MTS, Karen Elliott, PhD, CFLE
Want to turbocharge your work to strengthen
marriage and fatherhood? Learn what it takes
(steps, resources) from ACF’s Healthy Marriage
Specialists working with non-funded community
partners and federal grantee
s.

501
Mars and Venus: Grief and Loss
John Gray, PhD
The loss of a loved one – partner, parent, child
– can be the most challenging experience of a
lifetime. While loss is inevitable, suffering is not.
Learn strategies to help Mars & Venus (they
grieve differently) recover.
 
505
A New Way to Love – TOOB
Harville Hendrix, PhD, Helen LaKelly Hunt, PhD
This Imago faith-based course guides couples
in finding God's purpose for their marriage,
deepening their connection, and starting a
grass-roots movement of couples teaching couples.
 
509
Successful Stepfamilies – TOOB
Ron Deal, MMFT
This 8-sesssion, DVD & faith based program
teaches specific skills to target stepfamily
challenges identified in research for The
Remarriage Checkup.
 
512
Parenting From the Heart
Dan McMannis, MEd
Teach parents simple methods to activate their
heart-brain connection and help foster bonding
and attachment, manage stress, improve learning,
and restore energy and optimism.

513
Relationship Enhancement (RE) Programs
Mary Ortwein, MS
Teach couples how to access deep empathy
to build connection, intimacy, openness, trust,
and love while creating mutually-satisfying
solutions to their most challenging issues.
 
516
Presenting As a Couple
Dennis Lowe, PhD, Emily Scott-Lowe, PhD
Presenting marriage education as a couple
requires a special set of skills. Learn the
strategies, benefits, challenges and "rules"
of joint presentations.

517
Emotional and Relational Intelligence (ERQ)
Gary Oliver, PhD, MDiv, Matthew Turvey, PsyD
Use ERQ principles & the new ERQ Profile to help
corporations & couples build Relational
Wellness at work & home and increase
personal/professional effectiveness & profits.
 
518
Building Community Partnerships
Carolyn Curtis, PhD
Step-by-step blueprint to fill your classes & expand your
reach – secrets from the Sacramento HMI recognized
by HHS as tops in the field in developing successful
collaboration strategies.
 
519
Marriage Education Online – Expanding Our Reach
At the Crossroad - Alan Hawkins, PhD, Brian
Higginbotham, PhD, Tamara Fackrell, JD - FOOB
This FREE intervention helps couples evaluate
the possibility of repairing their marriage even
after they've filed for divorce.
Doing It In Your Pajamas - Abigail Hirsch, PhD
Power of Two has harnessed webinar technology
to create small, highly-engaging, interactive online
marriage education classes.

         
520
Relationship Education and Health Care Reform
Jana Staton, PhD, Jennifer Baker, PsyD
Make the case: Relationship Education is the
missing link, essential to prevention – reduces
child maltreatment & teen risk behaviors, increases
safe, stable two-parent families & improves outcomes.


602
Forgiveness for Real
Terry Hargrave, PhD
Genuine forgiveness must begin by healing
the pain caused by violations of trust and
love. A clear-cut approach illustrated with
case examples includes tools for dealing
with cutoffs, lying, betrayal, and affairs.

603
The Gottman Method for Couples Counseling
Vagdevi Meunier, PsyD
Overview of the Gottman research including
the Masters and Disasters of Marriage, the
friendship, conflict, and shared meaning
components of a relationship, and the main
predictors of relationship breakup.
 
605
Deep Friendship/Shared Goals
Blaine Fowers, PhD
Learn exercises to foster deep friendship, the
keystone to a vibrant, lasting marriage. Spousal
friends bring out the best in each other, want
the best for each other, and pursue shared goals.
 
606
Trauma-Based Couples
Carolyn Curtis, PhD
A history of trauma, abuse & neglect can make
it difficult for individuals to benefit from relationship
interventions. Learn to adapt programs to help
even the most traumatized and fragile heal and grow.
 
607
Hitched (or Not) & Hatching
Jennifer Baker, PsyD, Derek Gwinn, MA, CFLE
Expectant parents are busy. Learn a realistic
alternative to multi-week programs – a fun-filled,
super-charged class that delivers a full-day of
relationship education. Involve community
sponsors for extra oomph.
 
608
Healing From Affairs
Anne and Brian Bercht
Based on a 3-day intensive weekend for couples
in affair-recovery, this program outlines
key steps to healing a marriage – designed and
presented by a couple who has been there.
 
609
Children of Divorce: The Tough Truth – TOOB
Carri and Gordon Taylor, MA, MFT
Take an in-depth look at the children of divorce
and their families, at the multi-generational impact
of divorce and learn how the extended family can
be empowered as a tool of healing.
 
610
Mars Venus Coaching
Rich Bernstein
Understand the differences between coaching,
consulting, and therapy, the benefits of coaching,
a variety of coaching processes, and how to join
the worldwide Mars Venus Coaching team.
 
614
ProSAAM: Strong African American Marriages – TOOB
Tera Hurt, PhD, Regero Sampson, MSW
Learn how to deliver this PREP-based, innovative
program to African American couples. Includes
effects of racism, using prayer for conflict
resolution and growth, and retention.
 
615
Men and Commitment
Paul Giblin, PhD, MDiv
Explore the nature of commitment, how the
culture fails to support it, why men struggle
with it, and what we can learn from happily
married men. Clinical/educational applications
across the life-cycle.
 
616
Marriage and Depression
Dennis Lowe, PhD, Emily Scott-Lowe, PhD
Marriages in which one spouse is depressed are
nine times more likely to divorce. Teach couples
to identify depression and the skills and resources
to help them cope effectively.
 
618
Fine Tuning TOOBs
Brant Dykehouse, MSW
Learn how small adjustments to existing curricula
can adapt them to fit participants' culture, literacy,
family diversity, and orientation needs. You don’t
need to reinvent the wheel, realign it!
 
619
From Board Room to Family Room
Alicia La Hoz, PsyD, Nadia Persun, PhD
This experiential, easy-to-teach curriculum helps
employees learn conflict-resolution and communications
skills for use at work and home to improve quality
of life and quality of work!
 
703
Military Couples and EFT
Kathryn Rheem, MS
Use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with
couples impacted by 21st century war to help
them understand the trauma-induced shut-down
in their interpersonal relationships, and to reconnect.  
 
705
Plan for Happily Ever Laughter
Yakov Smirnoff, MA
Learn to use the Performer/Audience concept
to create love & laughter, rekindle and sustain
the honeymoon stage of your relationship. This
Plan becomes your guide to happily ever laughter.
 
708
The Four Axis of Infidelity
Rick Reynolds, MSW, MPA
Assessment of the four axis of infidelity along with
analysis of the martial power structure and infidelity
type allows for a development of couple-specific,
targeted, successful treatment. 
 
709
Beating the Odds: Successful Remarriage
Barry McCarthy, PhD
The good news is that remarried couples can improve
their odds. Examine strategies and techniques which
predict successful remarriage and identify common
traps and how to avoid them.
 
710
Suiting Up
Calvin Williams, Jeff Erlacher, MA, Lief Noll, PhD
This newest PREP program strengthens men to
master the complex issues facing 21st century
fathers and includes exercises to evaluate choices
& consequences and set goals that are within their reach.  
 
711
Healthy Choices, Healthy Relationships – TOOB
Char Kamper, MA, CFLE
Understand the teen brain – how brain chemistry
explains differences in gender, decision-making,
risks and relationships. Brain Mapping, self-regulation
& decision-making tools.

714
Making Music in Your Marriage – TOOB
Nisa Muhammad, Jamil Muhammad
This program uses pop, country and R & B to teach
the benefits of marriage & how to improve communication,
manage conflict, and deepen commitment. As seen on
CNN’s Black in America.
 
715
Special Needs Children
Laura Marshak, PhD, Fran Prezant, MEd
Marriages with special needs children face higher
rates of distress and breakdown. Learn key
guidelines & specific strategies to help them
stay connected.
 
716
DYALOG - Psychodynamic Self-Help For couples
Bernd Boettger, DiplPsych
DYALOG, popular across Europe, teaches a new
method of dialogue that combines couple dynamics,
and group, conscious & unconscious processes to
increase empathy & attachment. 
 
717
The Business of Love
John Curtis, PhD
Apply 9 proven business "best practices" to create
21st century marriages built to last. Visioning, logos,
job descriptions & performance appraisals, mergers,
etc. Great appeal to men & dual career couples.
 
719
Prison Re-entry Programs
Teach marriage, relationship, & fatherhood skills
to strengthen families and reduce recidivism, plus
how to sell the idea to local officials; funding and evaluation.
Keeping FAITH (Families And Inmates Together in Harmony)
- Ron & Cathy Tijerina
Inside/Out Dads - Ken Gosnell, MDiv, MA - TOOB
PREP & Pick-A-Partner in Michigan prisons - TOOB
- Kelly Sigler, Jim Sheridan, JD, MBA

720
Skills for Immigrants and Refugees
Goli Amin, MSW
Culture affects everything – especially communication
& conflict.  Learn how to work with couples/families
from around the world. Innovative free tools, including
materials for Hispanic families.


804
Crazy About You: Scorched-Earth Love
Steven Stosny, PhD
Jealousy is a crucial emotional "signal." But when
perverted through blame and control, it can cause
psychosis, misery and divorce. Discover the road
to understanding and healing.
 
805
The PeopleMap
Mike Lillibridge, PhD
This self-scoring, 7-item, 5-min tool is 95% accurate
in measuring 4 personality types. Learn how to
strengthen your marriage based on maps of
your personality strengths & styles.
 
806
7 Habits for 24/7 Dads – TOOB
Ken Gosnell, MDiv, MA
This new program based on the Covey 7 Habits
model, helps men become responsible, committed
dads. Includes exercises, recruitment & implementation
strategies for a variety of settings.
 
812
Seriously Dating or Engaged – TOOB
Roger Tirabassi, MA, DMin
Learn the tools you need for a life-long marriage
with step-by-step guidelines to handle conflict,
anger, family-of-origin, finances, sex, etc.

816
Healthy Lifestyles = Healthy Relationships
Pamela Holtzman, RN, MSW
There’s lots more to it than communication skills.
Learn nutrition, exercise, and stress management
“skills” that are proven to reduce burnout &
depression and increase happiness, well-being,
& love.
 
817
Staying Present
Karen Sherman, PhD
Is your relationship in trouble because of old baggage?
Learn tricks to stop reacting to old injuries – often
unconsciously – and to live and love in the present. 
 


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