The Gottman Institute is the home of Couples Researchers and Couples Therapists, Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Gottman. Marriage Prep 101 uses lots of Gottman research findings in their program. Excellent resource for couples.
The Greater Good Science Center at University of California, Berkeley is a great resource about building happiness, resilience, connection, gratitude and more. Learn from Dr Brené Brown, Dr Rick Hanson, Dr Fred Luskin and more. Marriage Prep 101 uses lots of research from The Greater Good Science Center in our workshop.
Couples Communication Workshop
One of the Leaders of Marriage Prep 101, Michelle Joy, MFT leads another Couples Workshop based on the latest research in attachment and neuroscience, which ranks one of the leading applications to helping couples create real and lasting change. Workshop held in Menlo Park, CA. Details at MichelleJoyMFT.com
Tosca Productions, a team of highly-seasoned coordinators, have been producing and creating cutting edge celebrations for decades. They have carved out a unique niche in the wedding and event industry by specializing in, designing and incorporating culture and tradition into elaborate, yet seamless celebrations. From simply elegant weddings to lavish productions, Tosca Productions organizational and social skills have been highly sought after, placing them on the preferred list of many prestiges locations throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.
This web site lists a variety of high quality wedding services available for hire for brides and grooms planning their wedding. Each service listed has been thoroughly evaluated and only the best, most reliable and highly referenced companies are allowed to be listed on the web site and in the bestselling book Here Comes The Guide published by Hopscotch Press in Berkeley, California. We like them because they are strong supporters of Marriage Prep 101 and the concept of marriage preparation in general and they bring a consciousness to the wedding business that we feel is both needed and healthy. Visit their site for more information or purchase their wonderful magazine and book, updated every two years.
Smart Marriages is the name of a web site hosted by the Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education which is a national advocacy organization dedicated to promoting marriage education and pro-family policy initiatives. This organization also hosts a national conference called Smart Marriages, Happy Families every year where professionals and paraprofessionals involved in the field come together to share ideas, present new research and advocate for government policies supportive of marriage and family life. They also provide a range of free, helpful services for the lay public including a national directory of marriage and family programs, information and downloadable print-outs of articles, research and other materials relating to marriage and families as well as a free newsletter, bookstore and advocacy opportunities. Visit their web site to get a complete overview of everthing that this dynamic organization is involved in.
The RELATE Relationship Inventory
The RELATE Relationship Inventory is the best self-assessment tool available to couples on the Internet and the one we use in our Marriage Prep 101 workshops. It is published by the Marriage Study Consortium located at Brigham Young University but has no religious orientation or affiliation with the Mormon Church. Confidentiality is strictly maintained through a secret username/password system that protects the identity of the user. The 261 item multiple choice questionnaire is easily completed in 30-45 minutes. Couples’ responses are “married” to allow for comparison in terms of individual partner’s similarities and differences across many aspects of the relationship including personality, family backgrounds, values, communication skills, conflict resolution styles, problems areas and relationship satisfaction and stability. A comprehensive 17 page report is given to the couple that graphically illustrates these similaries and differences and explains how to utilize the information in a workshop setting or in follow-up discussions between the couple. Click on the link above to visit their website.
Fort Mason Center is a non-profit cultural and event center located in the Golden Gate National Park on the site of an former military base on the beautiful San Francisco waterfront at the corner of Marina Blvd and Buchanan St., just east of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fort Mason is also the location of all Marriage Prep 101 workshops, most of them taking place in Building C on the second floor with views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. For more information including directions and other educational and arts programs, visit their web site by clicking on the link above.
Hitched is an online magazine focused exclusively on married life of all stages. Hitched aims to entertain, educate and inspire married couples through articles, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, a social network and much more. It also includes a directory of service providers and products, a bookstore, a message board, a calendar of events and more. Hitched is a growing go-to resource that tackles the compelling issues that arise in sharing a life with your spouse and provides guidance in the casual voice of a best friend.
This is the leading bridal and wedding web site on the Internet and offers a information and services located in your area. For information about regional service providers, you must click on their Local Resources page and pull down the Northern California region in order to access services and information specific to the San Francisco Bay Area. Marriage Prep 101 is mentioned on the Northern California home page under the question “Where do you take a marriage preparation course in San Francisco?”. At first glance, this is a very commercial site but they do offer a lot of information and articles about various aspects of the wedding planning process and the predicaments that engaged couples experience in planning for a wedding. You do have to “dig down” into this site to get the most useful information.