More About Our Mission:

Why Marriage Management is Important to Military Couples and Veterans…

Many military members, returning from deployment, frequently have varying degrees of difficulty reconnecting with their spouses and family.  Frequently this begins a cycle of alcohol and drug abuse, destructive behaviors, divorce, homelessness and suicide.  This destructive cycle increased with each additional deployment.  Marriage Management helps stabilize the marriage and provide the tools needed to build a healthy relationship and family.

Military members and Veterans need

• A healthy family for support

• A place to be yourself, to be respected and accepted

• Interaction with peers

• A continuing mission to serve

Military service puts unique stress on every marriage –

• Separation during deployments

• Frequent moves (PCS) and resettling

• Re-integration and re-adjustment to a non-combat environment

• Dealing with PTS, TBI and other injuries both physical and emotional

• Changes in Family dynamic and structure

• Trust may be an issue

• Intimacy and bonding may be affected

• Calm communication is difficult yet desperately needed

• Conflict resolution is critical
   

Military Couples and Veterans returning from combat suffer considerable challenges reconnecting with their spouse and families.
They frequently exhibit unusual stresses such as marital strife leading to a high susceptibility to divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, risky behaviors, instability and suicide. 

30% of Military Suicides had a failed intimate relationship in the prior month!  
Our mission is to mitigate that stress by giving the Veteran real-world tools to combat these effects and effectively manage dangerous triggers, damaging behaviors and resolve conflicts in a healthy manner.

Veterans should not have to sacrifice their marriage because they served their country.  
Yet multiple combat deployments, PTS, TBI and other mental, physical and moral wounds have made marriages a hidden casualty of war!  Some sectors of the military have divorce rates over 80%.

Marriage Management offers the tools and training needed to keep relationships stable and satisfying.  A recent study which included a control group with no marriage education, showed that the divorce rate for military couples decreases by two-thirds for couples who participate in a marriage education class.

The goal of Marriage Management is to STRENGTHEN Military and Veteran marriages.

• Enable couples to better cope with the unique stress of current or prior military service.    

• To keep the marriages of those who serve or have served our country from becoming a hidden causality of war.

• Our programs offer a safe and confidential place for husbands and wives gain:

  • The skills to Manage Marriage!

  • Support

  • Encouragement

  • Tools – that

    • improve communication

    • Increase respect and cooperation

    • Manage disagreement

    • These are REAL LIFE TOOLS for REAL LIFE RELATIONSHIPS; not bull, psycho-babble, proselytizing or Death by PowerPoint!

Marriage Management offers three related services:

1. The Initial One-Day In-Person Class, or a Three-Evening Virtual Class

2. Unlimited Refresh & Renew (R&R) follow-up Date Nights

3. Three Hours of Private Couple Coaching

What happens in our one-day or virtual classes:

Marriage Management is typically a one-day marriage retreat.  It is not counseling, but a lively, enjoyable, interactive marriage education training.  It is only for Veteran and Military members and their spouses or partners.  Follow-up tools and manuals are provided at no cost.

PARTICIPANTS LEARN COUPLE LINKS...

• Ways to deeply know your partner,

• Respectfully cultivate trust,

• Heal trust wounds,

• Know and fulfill your partner's needs,

• Develop resilience for changes and crises,

• Enrich romance and vitality. 

LED BY A VETERAN COUPLE IN A SAFE, FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE

These classes include:

• Peer-to-Peer training led by only by Military Veteran married couples.

• A safe, non-judgmental environment.

• Offering real-life, immediately usable tools and techniques to build and improve communication, understanding, respect, conflict resolution, commitment and intimacy.

• Private couple assignments…so no one else knows your business.

• Healing, encouraging, hopeful atmosphere.

• Free childcare may be available in some locations.

• Lunch, coffee, light breakfast items, snacks and water are included.

• Referrals for other veteran services if requested.

• Follow-up evening R&R (Refresh & Renew) date nights.

• Three free one-hour private sessions for those who need or want additional coaching.

What is the cost?

• Our program is FREE for all who have served in the military and their spouse/dependent/partner.

• Engaged Couples who complete the class receive a Twogether in Texas Certificate entitling them to $60 off the price of a Texas Marriage License.
   

Is Marriage Management Certified?

Yes.  We are trained and certified to teach many research and evidence-based curricula.  Marriage Management is also Certified by the R4 Alliance as a Program of Excellence.  We are supported by the Texas Veterans Commission, Fund for Veterans’ Assistance, the United Way and the Texas State Employees Charitable Campaign and certified by the Twogether in Texas State Marriage Initiative.  Marriage Management qualified under the strict administrative guidelines for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for six years in a row.  We are a state and federally registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  

Among many awards, Marriage Management was nationally recognized as a proud recipient of the 2010 Newman’s Own Award for service to the Military. 

Where and When are classes held?

Marriage Management is based in Texas and provides scheduled no-cost classes in several cities and towns throughout the State to minimize travel for our participants.  

If you are a Veteran, Military or Veteran Organization, Installation Officer or Leader and wish to sponsor or host a class, event or program, Marriage Management will travel to other locations around the state, region, country and the world based on need and resources.  Please contact us for more information.

What Military and Veteran Couples Say

The following are actual quotes from recent participants in the Marriage Management program.

• “This is important so that Veterans can be shown the behavior that may be acceptable in the military but not in their household.”

• “It can be the difference between happiness and failure for a Vet.”

• “It’s life changing.”

• [Where would I be without this program?] “Probably dead.  Definitely divorced.”

• “This program saved my marriage…”

• "Gave me tools that we need to fix our marriage/friendship/relationship."

• "We see a different perspective and are able to implement the lessons in our life."

• "We finally got down to the root of the problem and now know how to resolve our problems peacefully."

• “Important. It helps build real tools to handle real problems.”

• "I was able to listen instead of always talking."

• "Gave some structure to communication skills."

• "Tools to use to understand each other's feelings and thoughts."

• “I like that it wasn’t like counseling. It was very warm and inviting and not hostile. We really know how to solve our problems now! I’m excited to use these skills at home.”

• “Learning how to build a strong relationship with my husband. I learned a lot about him.”

• “Resolving a big conflict in my marriage.”

• “They provided material on how to speak clearly & effectively.”

• “Safe, fun, relaxed, solution-based.”

• “So much information on trust and knowing what I can do to move forward.”

• “Real life experiences.”

• “It is incredibly important because soldiers also need to keep the fight at home a healthy one.”

• [What I liked best about the class was…] “Overcoming my fears.” 

• “It provided us answers we needed to continue our relationship.”

• “The instructors were awesome and made us feel comfortable. “

• “The exercises made us feel close and we left feeling more comfortable in our relationship.”

• “Knowing there are other couples who experience similar issues with a military background.”

• “There are not a lot of programs for veterans for marriage counseling. This program saved our relationship.”

• “Builds trust, respect, caring.”

• “Really important because I love my family and will do anything to keep us together.”

• “It applies to military marriages and really is a fantastic tool for veterans. Important!”

• “I love this course. It helps me to love myself [and] respectful loving respectful to others.”

• “Very important. It is a lifeline for couples.”

• “Amazing information! Very helpful.”

• "Thank you for giving us the tools to save our marriage."

• "Awesome class. Great instructors."

• “THIS IS VITAL!  IT HELPS MILITARY MARRIAGES RECONNECT AND STABILIZE.”

• "I loved it!"