PREPARE/ENRICH Australia Blog

As shown in a previous article, there can be little doubt that the experience of family of origin is an important area for investigation among couples taking PREPARE. A booklet by Dr Alan Craddock (National Coordinator of PREPARE-ENRICH Australia and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, The University of Sydney) has been written solely for PREPARE-ENRICH Administrators.  This booklet is entitled Origins: Family Experiences of premarital Couples and has three main aims:

Sadly, some romantic relationships involve regular aggressive episodes and premarital couples are no exception to this possibility.  Indeed, some premarital couples' idealism and preoccupation with marriage plans may mask concerns about aggression. Many couples in this situation simply think that things will improve after they are married.

Differences and disagreements are as inevitable in wedding planning as they are in marriage itself. This is a good time to learn how to deal with them. Here are some strategies you might find helpful to work through with your wedding plans or to discuss with the couple you are working with:

Expectations about love and marriage have a powerful impact on relationships. To a large degree, you will be disappointed or happy in life based on how well what is happening matches up with what you think should be happening. All married couples start out hoping for and believing they will experience the very best. Problems arise when these hopes and beliefs are not based on reality.

Each one of the PREPARE/ENRICH assessments provides an opportunity to work with couples perceptions of their families of origin.  In particular, it is worth exploring the possible impact of extreme, or unbalanced family structures on how couples are likely to approach their own relationship.