You are invited to a weekend workshop for couples in Lanark County, west of Ottawa, from Friday November 2 at 6:30 pm (sharp) to Sunday November 4 at 4:00 pm, 2012.
Couple Enrichment workshops are intended to strengthen good relationships and are open to any couple in a committed relationship of six months or more (married or not, same sex or not, Quaker or not, religious or not). Our last workshop with 8 couples was in October of 2011.
Steve and Signy have been married for 32 years and have been involved in couple enrichment for 30 years. They have established and facilitated couple enrichment networks in Ottawa for the past decade. They were trained through Friends General Conference’s Couple Enrichment Leadership training in 2010. They have run two successful Couple Enrichment workshops and have been facilitators of a monthly couples growth group since then. Steve and Signy live in Ottawa. Signy is a doula and childbirth educator. Steve is an artist, art teacher, cartographer and childbirth educator. Both Signy and Steve are actively involved in Quaker activities, serving at the local and national levels.
Couple Enrichment is not marriage counselling or therapy, but a spiritual practice of developing deep understanding for each other. Participating couples will spend a weekend with other couples who want their relationships to grow and flourish. Workshops offer couples a safe and supportive environment in which partners can appreciate the good things in their relationship, and skilfully address those things that could be better.
Couple Enrichment builds on THREE GOLDEN THREADS as keys to strengthening relationships:
- Effective communication,
- Creative use of conflict, and
- Commitment to growth.
The Leader Couple facilitate the workshop, but they also work on their relationship alongside other couples during the workshop. They will demonstrate various exercises and communication techniques with honesty, candour and humour, using situations from their lives. Four to eight couples participate in a workshop (excluding the Leader Couple).
There are few things more fulfilling in a relationship than being deeply understood by the one who loves you, and deeply understanding the one you love.
After the weekend it is possible to form or join a network of couples who have participated in previous Couple Enrichment workshops. A strong network of Couple Enrichment couples exists in Ottawa and meets regularly to reflect on and strengthen their relationships. These couples have been meeting in Ottawa for almost a decade.
This workshop is presented by Ministry and Counsel of Ottawa Quaker Meeting as part of the Friends (Quakers) General Conference, Couple Enrichment Program which provides ongoing support and training to our leader couple.
Date: 6:30pm Friday November 2 to 4pm Sunday November 4, 2012
Schedule: The weekend schedule is printed in the 2012 Enrichment Brochure (PDF).
Food: In order to keep costs to a minimum, each couple will be asked to provide a simple meal for the group. Organic and vegetarian meals are most welcome. The meal arrangements will be finalized by the registrar closer to the workshop date. Couples should arrive with a meal essentially prepared, so prep time is minimized. At each meal two couples will complete the preparations and set the table for the rest who will be relaxing. We’ll then take half an hour to enjoy the meal as a group and then take half an hour to clean up.
Location: New Life Retreat Centre, Lanark County, 453 Dobbie Road, Hopetown, which is an hour's drive west of Ottawa. It's a beautiful, nourishing place with opportunities for hiking and soaking in a hot tub. You can see a slide show. Each couple will have their own room. Bedding will be provided. Couples would need to bring personal belongings, towels, wash cloths and slippers.
Very Young Children: Couples are best able to take full advantage of the workshop when they are free from outside responsibilities, so parents should arrange their children to be cared for at home. However, in certain circumstances, it may be possible to arrange childcare on site for very young children who need to be close to their parents (eg. Breast- feeding). We make every attempt to contribute towards the cost of on-site childcare, but parents need to discuss this issue with the registrar. Couples with very young children would be asked to provide snacks or beverages in lieu of a meal.
Drugs or Alcohol: No drugs or alcohol are allowed at the workshop.
The weekend registrar is Jonathan Segel at (jonathan.segel at gmail dot com). Jonathan and his wife Judith Brown have attended five Couple Enrichment workshops. Need more information? Email, or call Jonathan, evenings after 1 October on 613-254-8955.
The cost will be $375 per couple for the weekend. If you wish to attend, you can reply by email to Jonathan Segel (jonathan.segel at gmail dot com) with answers to the questions in the Registration Form in the 2012 Enrichment Brochure (PDF).
Financial assistance is available and determined on a case by case basis; if required, talk to the registrar or the leader couple. We sometimes use fund-raising to reduce the fees and welcome donations from couples who can afford to pay more.
Please fill out the Registration Form in the 2012 Enrichment Brochure (PDF). Send the registration form and deposit to Jonathan Segel at the address given in the PDF form before October 15. Contact Jonathan for other means of registration.
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