Healing marriages through communication
FOURWAYS – Need help in your marriage? Read here on a course that will make your marriage great.
According to Elize and Norman Brassell, pastoral counsellors at Chartwell Village Church, the number one reason marriages fail is because of a lack of communication and an understanding of one another.
Norman said, “Often there are deep-seated hurts that have built up over a period of time because either partner refuses to compromise, resulting in a divorce rate that is on the rise in South Africa.”
Elize said, “It is for this reason that Chartwell Village Church has felt led to run a course, Marriage Communication and Enrichment, which offers a blend of practical and insightful coaching tools that will enhance and enrich marriages.”
The couple, who have been married for 27 years, are a testament to the fact that the course material works, and explained that if it wasn’t for the course, their marriage would be over.
Norman said, “Elize and I… had done a variety of marriage courses throughout our marriage, however, our marriage still ended up in a crisis 10 years ago when we decided that divorce was our only option.
“Fortunately for us, Colin Ekman, the retired pastor of Lonehill Village Church, had just launched the course and encouraged us to attend the 12 weekly sessions before making a decision. Our marriage was transformed through this material and although we still faced many challenges, drawing from the tools provided to us through this material meant our marriage has gone from disastrous to great.”
The course has since been run twice in the church and on both occasions received positive feedback.
The course deals with a variety of practical and insightful topics such as:
- Understanding the differences between men and women
- The four fundamental pillars of communication and their importance in a marriage
- The five love languages
- Understanding how the love and respect cycle works
- Romance
- How to argue effectively
- Handling your in-laws and the meaning of commitment in the marriage foundation.
Elize added that the course is aimed at generating interaction with other couples and provides a conducive environment for new friendships and a support system for the participants to engage in.
She added that the course would also help participants come to understand that both husband and wife are in a partnership, sharing 100 percent equal responsibility for every area of their relationship.
The course costs R500 a person or R1 000 a couple and includes all material and food for eight weeks as well as a special dinner on the last Friday at La Vue Lodge.
Details: 083 301 4530; ebrassell1512@gmail.com
