Even happily married couples get depressed, fight, lose jobs, struggle with financial difficulties, go through crises, deal with sexual and other addiction problems.  CEP will introduce the Choice Theory which advocates that “the only person whose behaviour we can control is our own”.  Find out how to focus on improving  your marriage instead of trying to change your spouse.  Learn the “nine psychological tasks” that a couple must undertake in order to develop a positive and intimate marital relationship. Learn how to achieve work-life harmony in traditional and companionate marriages.

Husbands and wives need to know how they differ in their basic needs and work at building a greater harmonisation through  acceptance and a change of their own behaviour. Understand how the different attributes of  male and female sexuality relate to our respective roles as husband and wife. What you need to know about your spouse and his/her needs in order to build an emotionally intelligent marriage.

Understand how conjugal love differs from other types of human love (e.g.  love between parent-child, friends) in that it is unique and exclusive, and it involves total self giving. Marriage is a life-long relationship of mutual self-giving.
 

Learn the importance of building intimacy as a couple in everyday living; marital intimacy is not confined to isolated experiences of romanticism during occasional dates or holidays. It is the sharing of “the deep me” with “the deep you” in the daily lives of a couple.  Marital love grows as the Husband and Wife move from the “I” to the “We”; slowing down for the other and learning to make decisions based on what's best for “us”; instead of what's best for “me”. The spouses progress to the “I Thou” relationship when they start to live for the other. God is the Third Partner who helps the husband and wife to direct/channel their eros love into life giving agape love.

The focus of this session is not about how often we go to Church or worship God together but about the deeper dimension of mutual self-giving in Christian marriages. God has made it possible for Christian husbands and wives to love one another with a redemptive, sanctifying love. Christian marriages afford spouses the means of becoming holy and of sanctification. 

Learn the concept of “Integrated Marital Spirituality” where couples face the complexities and difficulties of life while developing the capacity to be sensitive to the voice of God and to surrender to His will when the invitation comes to them.  Why is the Christian marriage known as a Pasch?  Can one survive major crises (e.g. illness, job losses, death) in marriages?  Learn about  the importance of the sacraments and how these help couples to build a Christ centred marriage that will withstand the storms of life.  The husband and wife have their separate and distinct roles in a family.  Learn about the role of the wife as an ‘ezer” or helpmate.  

Come and explore the leadership role of the husband which requires the husband to walk closely with the Lord, and to have to be willing to respect and to share power with his spouse. Learn the important life skill of “allowing your spouse to influence you”. 

Today, the thought of having a child is “frightening” for many ... it is like taking a walk into the great unknown... undertaking risks and responsibilities that our minds are unable to handle. 

Yet, by your wedding promise to accept children lovingly from God, you said YES to the awesome task of co-operating with God in the creation of human life, a task that calls for great faith, courage and generosity on your part. Experience children as a blessing and dare to be different in a world that is “fearful” of life. Learn about the challenges of Fatherhood and why Dads are important. 

Learn about the primary role of the mother in a competitive society where there is an over-emphasis on studies and achievement. Understand the secret to unlocking the inherent goodness that is in your kids and how to keep materialism at bay. 

Learn how to maintain a long-term vision as Christian parents as you embark on the very exciting adventure of parenthood; how to equip yourself to deal with young kids and the issues of their teenage years.