Who Needs Valentine's Day?

Friday, February 12, 2010

Relationship Help Offered Year Round at OSU

(STILLWATER, Okla.,  February 12, 2010) - While the marriage and family therapy program in the Human Development and Family Science Department at Oklahoma State University offers year-round assistance to couples, individuals and families, the faculty and students in the department provided a few special options during National Marriage Week this week.

Free relationship checkups from therapists and students in the program helped dating, engaged and married couples identify their relationship’s strengths and weaknesses.  The checkups were provided by the Center for Family Services and included a questionnaire followed by a discussion with a therapist about the couple’s answers.

Daniel Hubler, a College of Human Sciences doctoral student in HDFS, has also started a blog on a new website created by the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center.  Hubler’s blog on Twoofus.org covers topics from how to take advantage of time stuck in the house by winter weather to coping with stress in marriages and families.

“With all the good advice out there, there are many sources of terrible advice, Hubler says. My goal is not to give people universal solutions. Instead, it's to suggest some simple tips that may help or share experiences with which other folks can relate."

Twoofus.org is an interactive website designed to offer direct access to resources intended to help strengthen relationships.  The site is targeted at 18 to 35-year-olds who are single, dating or in committed relationships. However, some frequent visitors are in their 50s and 60s.  Twoofus.org allows people to talk about the complexities of healthy marriages and provides tools, resources, and tips for making relationships work.

“One of the common themes among social networking or specific internet community websites is that relationships are frequently central to whatever the topic is at hand,” says Kelly Roberts, HDFS clinical instructor and internship coordinator.

Roberts, who is also a marital researcher and past president of Oklahoma Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, said Twoofus.org has some other added values, as well.

“Since the site is specifically for relationships, it can be a more credible and helpful source of information and potential support for people searching for answers to those big life questions…as well as the small ones.”

While the NHMRC has centers across the country, the Oklahoma City branch is responsible for the production of the Twoofus.org website. The NHMRC provides access to print and electronic publications, information on marriage issues, and resources that support healthy relationships and marriages.  For more information about the NHMRC and to access the available resources, visit www.healthymarriageinfo.org.

Along with the initiatives of the OSU College of Human Environmental Sciences and the NHMRC, several other Oklahoma organizations have taken part in National Marriage Week.  The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative kicked off Marriage Week seven days early and hosted over 3,700 Oklahomans at four locations around the state, with “Forever. For Real.” Relationship- education workshops.

The Eye to Eye Marriage Enrichment Community will host a Sweetheart Ball on Feb. 13. The 10th annual ball will include dinner for two, prizes, games, slow dancing and professional pictures.  The cost per couple is $75 and registration is required.  Interested couples can register at www.sweetheartball.info, by phone at (405) 288-1393 or by visiting the State Farm Insurance office at 1035A SW 19th St. in Moore.

Living Well is holding an 8 week class titled Living Well in Marriage beginning on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. The class will be held at the Putnam City Baptist Church, 11401 N Rockwell Av in Oklahoma City. The cost for participants will be $20. For more information, call Donna Edward by phone at (405)792-2586, by email at dedwards@livingwellokc.org or visit www.marriagenetworkok.net.

For more information on the Marriage and Family Therapy program at OSU go to www.ches.okstate.edu/mft.  To learn more about the history of National Marriage Week and to see other activities across the country, visit www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org.