SUCCESSFUL COUPLES

The life of couples, whether called marriage, partnership or committed relationship, has undergone profound changes in the last 30-40 years. Some of the factors that have reshaped and transformed the personal and cultural conversation about what constitutes a successful long-term relationship include:

		what people expect from relationships
		how long people are living
		the financial resources available
		the ways the roles of men and women have been redefined

From over 25 years of interviews and conversations with couples, we have identified six areas that successful couples address and five skill sets that they practice to sustain their relationships.

The areas are:

1. friendship and being friends

2. intimate relationship and sexuality

3. choosing whether to be parents/parenting/extended family relationships

4. management and planning including finances

5. self identity and self-in-relationship: in career, in leisure, in community

6. values-guiding beliefs and images/spirituality

The skills are:

1. communication-listening and speaking

2. acknowledgement and appreciation

3. effective conflict management

4. lasting apologies and forgiveness

5. self care-physical, emotional, and spiritual

Enlignment, Inc. coaches couples to discuss these areas and to develop these skills in:

		Couples Coaching Sessions
		Couples Retreats

See also research for our book about Successful Couples.