The Marriage Builders® Weekend

After you have finished reading my Basic Concepts, you should have a pretty good idea how I define a terrific marriage. It's one where spouses (1) make each other happy by meeting the most important emotional needs, (2) avoid making each other unhappy by eliminating Love Buster, and (3) create a lifestyle that is mutually enjoyable by following the Policy of Joint Agreement.

But there are some who would rather have it all explained to them in person, rather than read it. And they would like to have their questions answered on the spot if they don't understand a concept. Besides, most of us have an easier time remembering something if someone explains it to us.

So a few times a year, I explain all of my Basic Concepts in a seminar. It takes me quite a while to get through them all (Friday evening and all day Saturday), but by the time I'm finished, I've provided couples with a fairly good review of how to have a great marriage.

But Marriage Builders® Weekend does much more than just explain all my my Basic Concepts. It kicks off a year of home-study where each couple is expected to change their behavior to create a great marriage for themselves. By going through the home-study lessons of my two courses, His Needs, Her Needs and Love Busters, they are able to put my Basic Concepts into practice.

And there's more! Every couple who attends Marriage Builders® Weekend is automatically enrolled into the Marriage Builders® Accountability Program. It's designed to help motivate couples to complete the assignments of the home-study courses so that their behavior actually changes. In this program we try to keep you motivated in the following ways:

1. Each week we will send by e-mail a survey to document whether or not you completed all the assignments for the week.

2. If you do not return the survey, our accountability coordinator will contact you by telephone to encourage you to complete the assignments and return the e-mail survey.

3. If you have questions or if you need encouragement, you may e-mail or talk to our accountability coordinator by telephone.

4. Each month, we will evaluate the progress you are making in depositing love units and avoiding their withdrawal by having you complete our Love Bank Inventory. The results will be kept in your permanent file to be revealed to you when the course is completed.

5. If you have questions for me (Dr. Harley), you may post them on a private forum on the Marriage Builders® website. I am usually able to respond in about a day. You are also able to read my answers to the hundreds of questions of those who have taken these courses in the past.

6. When you have completed all the lessons, our accountability coordinator will send you a report of your survey and Love Bank Inventory results. Suggestions for the future will be included.

For dates and descriptions of future Marriage Builders® Weekends click here.