Education Programs & Materials

Have a resource you would like to recommend? Email:  marriageandfamily@auburn.edu

• Caring for my Family. Developed by Michigan State University Extension, Caring for my Families is a free curriculum that helps mothers and fathers of newborns to learn about building healthy relationships with each other and their children through a series of interactive educational experiences. The purpose of the program is to equip unmarried mothers and fathers with skills for making healthy decisions and to explore future options for their relationship including the potential of getting married.
   
• Children, Youth, and Families Education Resource Network. CYFERnet is a national network of Land Grant university faculty and county Extension educators working to support community-based educational programs for children, youth, parents and families through the provision of practical research-based information.
   
• CoupleTalk. Developed by Kansas State University Extension, CoupleTalk is a free, non-credit, Internet-based distance education course designed  to help couples build skills to make their relationship stronger and more satisfying.
   
• The Dibble Fund. The Dibble Fund for Marriage Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people learn skills which enable successful relationships and marriages. Materials/Curricula include Connections, LoveU2, and various brochures.
   
• Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding & Study. FOCCUS is a internationally used inventory designed to provide engaged couples and those working with them a personalized profile of what is needed in their marriage preparation process. Access to programs and services that are current and research based, couple centered, adaptable, user-friendly and affordable.
   
• Family Information Services. Subscribers receive ONLINE ACCESS to psycho-educational resource materials developed by experienced practitioners (new resources posted monthly). Content covers parenting, child/youth development, marriage, and family relationships.
   
• Life Innovations, Inc. Introduction of PREPARE/ENRICH program and all the information regarding training workshops, counselors, and services help couples in different stages of marriage. Also provide recent studies and statistics of PREPARE/ENRICH program.
   
• Married and Loving It!. Developed by University of Idaho Cooperative Extension, the Married and Loving It! program consists of 5-sessions designed to strengthen marriage relationships by presenting the research findings about successful and happy couples to the general public.
   
• Marriage Builders. Headed by Dr. Willard F. Harley, Jr, Marriage Builders offers articles, Q & A section, seminars, and telephone counseling for married couples to overcome their marital conflicts and restore love.
   
• Marriage Education Institute. The nonprofit Marriage Education Institute was founded to strengthen relationships through Online learning. The Institute offers programs for singles, couples and professionals (with CE Credits available).
   
• Marriage Savers. Co-founded by Harriet and Mike MacManus, Marriage Savers is a ministry that equips local communities, principally through local congregations, to help men and women to prepare for lifelong marriage, strengthen existing marriages, and restore troubled marriage.
   
• The National Healthy Marriage Institute. The National Healthy Marriage Institute is a non-partisan, non-denominational social enterprise organization dedicated to developing products and resources to strengthen marriages and families.
   
• National Institute of Relationship Enhancement ®. NIRE, a non-profit educational corporation, offers skills training workshops, supervision and certification programs for mental health professionals and lay educators as well as a variety of innovative psychoeducational programs for couples and families.
   
• Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills. The PAIRS programs provide a comprehensive system to enhance self-knowledge and to develop the ability to sustain pleasurable intimate relationships. This website provides information about PAIRS programs, trainings, and related research.
   
• P.I.C.K a Partner Program. The Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (P.I.C.K.) program is a five-session curriculum developed by Dr. John Van Epp. Also known as How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk(ette), this program reviews the five dynamics that create attachment and the five crucial areas to explore in a  premarital relationship.
   
• Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program. PREP is a comprehensive and well respected divorce-prevention/marriage enhancing program. PREP is a skills and principles-building curriculum designed to help partners say what they need to say, get to the heart of problems, and increase their connection with each other .
   
• The RELATE Institute. RELATE, developed by the Marriage Study Consortium at Brigham Young University, is a comprehensive premarital/marital assessment tool.
   
• Smart Steps for Stepfamilies. A 6-session curriculum designed for couples and children in stepfamilies (2 parallel series of lessons). This educational program addresses the unique needs and issues that couples in stepfamilies face and provides strategies for building healthy relationships and stable stepfamilies.

Resources for Stepfamilies

National Stepfamily Resource Center. Research-based information for professionals and families alike. Clearinghouse of up-to-date statistics and FAQs. Books and other materials available for purchase. All have been reviewed by academics in the field of family science as helpful in building family strengths. Community family life education 12-hour curriculum available, "Smart Steps for Adults and Children in Stepfamilies."

StepFamily inFormation (Peter Gerlach, MSW)- website with links to get a set of 18 practical booklets and worksheets that totals well over 750 8.5" x 11" printed pages. They contain most of the information seen in the Web Pages. Ranging from 20 to 116 pages, these booklets offer suggestions to lay and professional people from the author's personal experiences working with stepfamilies and co-parents.

The Second Wives Club - Website with the mission "…to provide a safe haven for women who are currently involved in either a subsequent marriage or relationship for either the wife or the husband and/or who are involved in a blended family…" SEARCHABLE and SUBSCRIBABLE
http://www.secondwivesclub.com

Estate planning and remarriage -website with printable and e-mailable articles regarding estate planning in the face of remarriage.

How Age Affects a Child's Reaction to Stepfamilies - information regarding normal child development and reactions to remarriage and stepfamily situations for children pre-school through teen years.

Ten Steps Toward Successful Stepparenting

Stages in Money Management for Stepfamilies - steps to take for successful blending of finances. Downloadable, with links to other estate planning information for families with minor children.

Family Focus - University of New Hampshire extension website. FAQs and links to several documents regarding stepfamilies, including the Stepfamily Association of America. Publications available in PDF include: Stepfamilies, Children in Stepfamilies, Help Children Adjust to Stepfamily Life, The Effects of Divorce on Children, For Kids: How Does Divorce Affect You, Stages of Stepfamily Development, Managing Former Spouse Relationships, Strengthening Your Couple Relationship.

Foundations for a Successful Stepfamily - personal goals and expectations for a new marriage, jobs, finances, children and household arrangements are among the topics discussed. Downloadable in PDF, with links to further information on subtopics.

Common Challenges in Stepfamilies - printable from website. Contents include family development, family combination, stepparent's role and relationships with extended family members.

Remarried Family Strengths - discusses caring, communication, pride, unity and family ties. Related links and other publications are given.

Non-traditional Families: A Guide for Parents - printable guide for parents in nontraditional families. Family forms, challenges to children and community support subsections. Links to CYFERnet and to Parent and Family pages are included.

General information regarding stepfamilies, and programming resources for stepfamilies. Twenty-one links from North Carolina State University extension website. "One stop surfing"

National Network for Child Care. Series of publications in PDF and webpage format regarding divorce matters and step-parenting.

Individual Hand-outs

Characteristics of strong families
http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm99/pdf/curr.pdf
This handout covers: 1) commitment 2) Appreciation 3) communication 4) time together 5) spiritual wellness 6) coping with crises

Maintaining Strong Marriages
http://www.nnfr.org/curriculum/topics/marriage.html

Strong Marriage Relationship Central to Positive Parenting
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5150.html
This handout covers: 1) A Spouse's Informal Support 2) Developing a Strong Marital Relationship

Building a Strong Marriage-Finding Time
http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm02/FS02.html
This handout covers:
1) Work Demands 2) Parenting Demands
3) Community and Personal Demands
4) Coping With These Demands

Creating a Strong and Satisfying Marriage
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/humanrel/gh6610.htm
This handout covers:
1) Characteristics of happy and satisfying marriages
2) Managing conflict
3) Strengthening the marital relationship

Building Family Strengths
http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9405.html
This handout covers:
1) Caring and Appreciation
2) Time Together
3) Encouragement
4) Commitment
5) Communication
6) Adaptive Ability
7) Spirituality
8) Community and Family Ties
9) Clear Roles

Family: Strengthening the Bonds
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5229.html

Enhancing Midlife Marriage
http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm02/FS03.html
This handout covers: Strategies for Strengthening Midlife Marriage

Marriage -- A Many-Splendored, Sometimes Splintered, Thing
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/pub/marriage.html
This handout covers:
1) Adapting to Change
2) Realistic Expectations
3) Finances
4) Sexual Adjustment
5) Marrying the Whole Family -- In-laws

Making the Most of Your Marriage
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5220.html
This handout covers:
1) Happily Married People
2) Has the Light Gone Dim?

Dealing With Anger in a Marriage
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5191.html
This hand-out covers:
1) Misconceptions of Anger
2) How People Cover Up Anger
3) Anger Can Be Healthy in a Relationship
4) Resolving Anger

Top 5 Communication Tips For Couples By David Steele
http://www.lifepartnerquest.com/couple/commtips.htm
This handout covers: 1) Use The 3 Magic Words of Listening- “Is there more?” 2) It’s Not About You! 3) It’s All About You! 4) Turn complaints into requests.5) Tell your truth

"Honey, I'm Home!" - For Good: The Transition to Retirement
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5159.html
This handout covers:1) Adjustment Takes Time 2) Old Dogs & New Tricks 3) Communication Is Essential 4) Capitalize on Interests 4) Enjoy the Years Ahead

What is this ministry you can do together?
http://www.familydynamics.net/what.htm
This handout covers:
1) Help Married Couples Grow In Love 2) Save Marriages That Are In Trouble 3) Show Entire Families How To Have A Great Home