IMAGINE if the only time we serviced our cars was when they broke down.
We could live like this but we don’t for obvious reasons.
So why do we treat our marriages this way?
In marriage, couples counselling is like roadside assistance for cars, critically important when needed but not always able to solve the problem.
Success rates vary for the simple reason that it is often sought too late to be effective.
Marriage education is different and is as important as regular maintenance for cars.
It is suitable for every married couple, stable or shaky, because by teaching practical relationship skills, couples are empowered to more effectively and consciously manage their relationship.
For shaky marriages, unless there are major personal issues like addictions or mental illness, marriage education can have dramatic results by providing a safe environment to process and resolve issues.
For those in stable marriages, it further deepens their relationship providing greater resilience against inevitable future challenges.
And just like car engines are getting more complicated and the days of self-servicing are long gone, it is the same for marriage.
While the pressures on marriage today are greater than ever, fortunately so are the available tools waiting to be accessed.
Some marriages do survive without regular maintenance, but increasingly many don’t.
Our advice – if your marriage is traveling along pretty much okay, lose your complacency and do something for your relationship now, before you think you need it.
It can’t hurt and it’s odds-on to make things even better. Moreover, with the Australian Government Stronger Relationships Trial, it’s never been cheaper to try it.
Francine and Byron Pirola are the authors of the SmartLoving Series. The SmartLoving Marriage Seminar has had tens of thousands of couples attend throughout the world with dramatic results. Join us on October 11 and 12 at Corinda.
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