By Ruth O' Donnell Family Therapist 

I worked in the Health Board for almost twenty-four years as a family therapist. I had a special interest in working with couples.

Having the opportunity to view Mr. David Kavanagh’s DVD Pre-Marriage Course retreat programme brought home to me how couples can be helped at an early stage of their relationship. This is so, because this DVD highlights the common factors facing young people who are ready to commit to a relationship: like their families, their responsibility for their sexual relationship, their relationship to money, how communication and conflict can be managed.

 

As the couple are guided through the three parts of the DVD along with their handbook, further information is available to them if they wish to go deeper into a particular issue or indeed if they feel they need extra help.  What I like about this programme is its honesty about relationships in to-days world. The difficulties are seen as difficulties and they are not pathologised.

This interactive programme gives couples the opportunity to do the pre-marriage course at a time that suits their lifestyle. It also allows for greater honesty between the partners as they have their own privacy. 

All in all this is a superb programme, professionally presented with up-to-date and accurate information on couple therapy and knowledge; the natural surroundings and impromptu interviews affirm the course content and give a visual of “life”.

Ruth O’Donnell, PhD.