People want to get married and stay married. In fact, according to a study by Family Service of America, more than 70% of adult Americans believe that "marriage is a lifelong commitment." Interestingly, even 81% of divorced and separated Americans still believe marriage should be for life. Yet, over half of marriages end in divorce.
Too often, even those couples seeking professional help do not receive the tools they need. As divorce became more socially accepted in the 1970's and 1980's, many therapists actual assist in marriage suicide by viewing divorce as a life style option or as a pathway to personal growth. Though well meaning, too often they advise clients to get a divorce stating without full knowledge of the enormous consequences of divorce. At best, they take a "marriage neutral" attitude of "what ever makes you happy," without knowledge of the current research on happiness.
Studies on divorce and happiness demonstrate that many divorced persons are actually less happy five years after the divorce. Couples you worked through their problems and avoided divorce tend to have higher levels of happiness after five years.
So why don't couples work harder to make their marriages work? Because they don't have the tools.
Barbara Bartlein, clinical psychotherapist and author of "Why Did I Marry You Anyway? 12.5 Strategies for a Happy Marriage," has developed a program to improve your relationship. You learn:
*How therapists doom marriages
*Why marriages are failing
*The #1 Myth that sabotages marital success
*Tools that assist clients in building trust and commitment
*Strategies to build long term relationships
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