After 39 Years of Marriage, Couple Seeks Improvement and Wins $1,000!

Sandy Tripple had been married for 39 years and yet was still interested in improving her marriage. When she first heard about the class Mastering the Mysteries of Love from her co-worker, she and her husband, George, signed up immediately. “My friend told me about this class that was helping her marriage. It sounded so great! I told my husband and we went to the next class. It helped us so much, we signed up for a second class,” said Sandy. Now, the Tripples are the latest recipients of the $1,000 outcome evaluation drawing.

The Tripples sought help for their 39 year marriage when they realized they needed more help communicating with each other. “My husband had a hard time opening up to me and this class helped us share our feelings privately, but in a class setting,” said Sandy. “It was great to see other couples in the class that were experiencing the same communication issues.”

Both George and Sandy benefited from Mastering the Mysteries of Love. Sandy said, “ I think there is something so powerful about sitting knee to knee and holding each other’s hands; then when you begin repeating what your partner is saying you start to see insights into your partner that you have never seen before, even after 39 years of marriage.” The Fresno based couple have experienced growth in their communication skills within their relationship, but also with other people. Tripple said, “These skills have helped us to relate to our children and our parents.”

The Tripples are grateful for winning the $1,000 prize. “This past year has been really difficult for us because of medical complications with George,” said Sandy. “This money will be a welcome windfall and be used to pay some of the bills that have resulted from George being sick.”

CHMC supports many quality relationship-building classes. To find out more information about Mastering the Mysteries of Love and other great classes, go to www.camarriage.com

OE winners Sandy and George Trippel with Ron and Joan McClain from Healthy Marriages Coalition of Fresno/Madera County

Mastering the Mysteries of Stepfamilies Success Story

Mastering the Mysteries of Stepfamilies (MMS) is a 24-hour course teaching the communication skills and stepfamily guidelines needed to build and maintain a successful, satisfying step-marriage and stepfamily. Why should couples in a stepfamily attend a program like MMS? The divorce rates for stepfamilies is upwards of 65%.  The main reason cited is because stepfamilies have significantly more stress than first families. Stepfamilies have to deal with multiple sets of expectations, stepparent/child relationships, compromising on traditions, and extremely sensitive boundaries in addition to normal marital strain.

Jim and Sheri are just one couple who have the opportunity to see their relationship and stepfamily transform with the help of MMS. This is the fourth marriage for both, whom have been married for ten years.

They have spent years struggling with the same problems many stepfamilies deal with: frustration with step-related issues, disillusioned with the marriage, and locked into their own positions on issues.  Over time, they built a wall of distance and distrust. Research indicates lack of empathy as one of the key factors in stepfamily failure.

Jim and Sheri recently participated in a Mastering the Mysteries of Stepfamilies class where they learned how to “become” their partner in order to think and feel the concerns and desires of the other partner. Empathy has brought about a softening in Jim and Sheri’s positions enabling them to work on solutions that seemed impossible at one time.  Learning and practicing better communication methods as well as recognizing some of the stepfamily guidelines that were being violated, brought renewed hope for the lifetime success of their marriage and family.

Jim states, “This is communication on steroids!” Sheri adds, “When I sense that Jim really gets me—hears and understands my needs—I relax…and feel a rush of love for him.  In addition, the skills I’ve learned have helped to improve my relationship with my step-children.”

Since learning and using communication skills and stepfamily guidelines, Jim and Sheri’s marriage is becoming the happy marriage they had always hoped for but did not know how to create.

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>> Mastering the Mysteries of Stepfamilies (MMS)

POP UP AD Raises Awareness of Marriage Education

Marriage Week occurs in the month of February.  Makes sense since this is the month that Valentine’s Day occurs. 

California Healthy Marriages Coalition has placed pop-up ads on several California online newspapers.

Here is a story that was posted by Gail Marshall on the Fresno Bee Editorial Opinion Blog on February 8, 2008.

“You’ve probably seen those dramatic popup ads on fresnobee.com saying things like “We kiss more often . . . because of ME” and “Our relationship rocks . . . because of ME.” It’s a great little ad campaign and I could not resist calling to find out about them. The ME part stands for marriage education and the ads send you to the Web site called www.caMarriage.com.”

View the ads on the Modesto Bee and on the Fresno Bee.

When people click on the ads, they visit CaMarriage.com and can find Marriage Education classes, retreats, and conferences scheduled in areas throughout California.  

David & Claudia Arp Train Hundreds in 10 Great Dates

Hundreds of marriage educators, clergy, counselors, and community leaders received training in 10 Great Dates by internationally-renowned authors, David and Claudia Arp. 

The Arp’s trained Instructors in Orange County, Fresno, Sacramento, Yuba-Sutter, Modesto, and LA. 

The 10 Great Dates program is a fun, pressure-free, guy-friendly program that helps couples learn and live out relationship skills.  Find a 10 Great Dates program in California at CaMarriage.com.

Find Marriage Classes in California

CaMarriage.com is a clearinghouse of Marriage Education (ME) and Relationship Skills Training (RST) classes and programs taking place throughout California.

There is something for everyone, at any and all stages of relationships.

• Youth & Singles
• Seriously Dating & Engaged
• Newly Married & Expectant/New Parents
• General Marriage Enrichment
• Distressed Marriages
• Step Family & Empty Nesters

Whether you’re looking for short courses, weekend retreats, weekly programs, or something else – you are bound to find it at CaMarriage.com. New classes and programs are added daily!

California Healthy Marriages Coalition’s blog

Welcome! 

 This blog will feature pictures, videos, and reports about Marriage Education (ME) and Relationship Skills Training (RST) throughout California. 

 Find out more about California Healthy Marriages Coalition at CaMarriage.com!