‘The Road Less Travelled’ author M. Scott Peck believed in falling love was one of the most important things for couples but also believed much more work was needed afterwards.
Elizabeth Brennan from Relationships Australia subscribes to this mandate and said couples in western society didn’t give themselves enough time for their relationships.
‘I think it is something that is taken for granted,’ Brennan said.
‘Unfortunately, for people living in the west, we live under this myth that romantic love lives forever.
‘There is a need out there in the community; there are lots of pressures out there in life at the moment. Couples can be under a lot of pressure, so it just gives them a bit of time out to look deeply into their relationship and be able to identify some of the issues.’
Brennan added that LGBT couples also needed special attention which is why Relationships Australia began the Building Better Relationships For Same-Sex Couples course.
‘We look at the differences and similarities between same-sex and heterosexual relationships,’ Brennan said.
‘Some of the differences we also look at between same-sex and heterosexual relationships … are internal homophobia, some parenting issues, (and) sexuality issues,’
The weekend course investigates a range of relationship issues including family of origin issues which are traits or values brought from a person’s heritage.
Brennan said once people were able to understand the influence of their heritage and their partner’s familial origins, the results were ‘mind-blowing’.
It also covers communication and looks at something called the Five Love Languages.
‘That’s about acknowledging and identifying that every person receives and gives love in different ways and if we can understand each other’s primary love languages then it can also can be very rewarding,’ Brennan said.
‘Relationship issues… communication and resolving conflicts are popular as they are topics all relationships have difficulties with.’
The community education manager stressed this wasn’t a lecture but an interactive weekend for adults in relationships.
‘We presume they’re adults and they have lots of knowledge themselves so they aren’t coming along to a lecture,’ she said.
Brennan believed one of the keys to relationships was to understand the differences in relationships.
‘Differences are something to be embraced and not avoided and if we can embrace differences in relationships, that is what brings about harmony and intimacy,’ she said.
‘They learn how to use the richness of their relationship to enrich it further.’
Building Better Relationships For Same-Sex Couples begins on Friday 15 April through till 17 April. Spaces are $160 per couple which fill fast, so contact Elizabeth Brennan on (08) 9489 6349.
Benn Dorrington
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