The Marriage Refresher Workbook for Couples Reviews

“I’m a big fan of utilizing technology to improve our lives.  This is especially true in our relationships where it’s so easy fall into patterns where we rely too heavily on our electronics and let it have a negative impact on our roles as spouse and parent.  I am excited to share the work of a friend who “gets it” and has found a way to combine her abilities as a therapist with the power of online availability to help many couples – from engagement through marriage refresher.I had the privilege of reviewing a copy of The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook, and I definitely recommend it for couples who are looking for a therapist-led refresher on the big issues that are impacting their relationship.

This workbook is intended to help couples:

• Remember Why You Married in the First Place
• Strengthen Your Communication Skills
• Increase Your Emotional Safety
• Explore Your Relationship Balance
• Identify Problematic Family of Origin Issues
• Explore Your Marriage Logistics and Roles
• Develop or Revisit Your Personal, Couple, Family Goals and Marriage Vision
• Learn Tips about How to Work Through Three Common Marriage Problems

As you can see by the topics listed, The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples is really intended to get back to the basic (and vitally important) foundational issues in your marriage and strengthen your relationship from there.  For many couples, this kind of focus will have a dramatic impact on the quality of their marriage and family life.”

– Dustin Reichman, creator of EngagedMarriage.com

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”I don’t usually find myself seeking to praise items that could make me obsolete. But that’s the case with therapist Lisa Kift’s Therapy-At-Home® Workbooks. They’re smart, succinct and easy to use…Even with my experience as a therapist, I still discovered something fresh from the workbook.  And don’t worry, it doesn’t really make us obsolete. Lisa is clear that any workbook cannot replace traditional therapy

The workbook I reviewed was the Therapy-At-Home Workbooks®: The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples.  (Lisa also wrote The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples.) The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples has 6 sections covering common issues like Communication and issues that aren’t so common, like Relationship Foundations. I really liked it that she went there with the book, because it focuses on where each partner came from and how each interacts with the other now. It’s essential, and many marriage resources (in my entirely subjective opinion) seem to overlook it.

Each section contains several goals, each with a brief introduction, an exercise, and a journal page for each member of the couple. It’s a combination of teaching and self-directed learning for the couple. Some of the worksheets were duplicated, one for Partner #1 and one for Partner #2. That could end up being redundant, but instead it creates less fuss for the couple, who can just press “print” out the whole book and not mess with the details.

She also recommended to me that therapists use it with their clients. It’s something we could assign them as additional homework between sessions, or make ourselves available to answer questions for certain exercises. And at $20 with instant download, it’s a lot cheaper to recommend than a marriage enrichment seminar.”

– Stephanie Adams, LPC and creator of Beginning Counselor 

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“As a psychotherapist with a background in social work, I am always on the look out for new, innovative, and above all, cost effective ways of delivering therapy and being helpful to the greatest number of people.  With that in mind, I am pleased to promote The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples, written by my colleague List Kift, MFT…I believe it is a valuable resource for my readers who are in need of do-it-yourself marriage counseling.  In her clear, interesting, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow, do-it-yourself format, Lisa gives readers much the same therapy as they would get from going to her office and working with her in person.

Use The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples on its own or as an adjunct to therapy, with or without your spouse (of course you’ll get more out of it if you and your spouse use the workbook together), and I am sure that your marriage will reap significant benefits.”

– Ben Klemper, MSW

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The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples Reviews

“Whether a couple thought they were happily in love, or know they have issues, your book would do a good job PINPOINTING where there are struggles and where they are quite happy together.  That in of itself  would help a couple know what exactly is going on rather than simply saying, “my fiance is difficult sometimes.”  Hopefully the exercises will also help couples see patterns that lead to annoying traits, or simply see the “dance” marriage brings out in the me-you-we…Your book is more emotionally risky to couples than some books out there that do more “talking at” couples, but with risk comes great potential reward.  You go well beyond assuming an engaged couple is young, naive, and ignorant and take them at face value, ask them to assess today and work towards a shared future…”

– Elizabeth Doherty Thomas, MS and creator of TheFirstDance.com

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“The premarital counseling workbook is a fantastic tool to assist in evaluating the health of a relationship and the potential for a long term, intimate, happy marriage. It goes beyond the apparent questions and cuts to the core of communication style, emotional safety, how valued you feel by a partner, and how safe you feel in interactions. The workbook also has tools for discussing goals with a partner and a future vision for your marriage and life together.

I feel this book can be very helpful to people in many stages of their relationships. It assists you in determining if a partner is a potential spouse, and it also assists you in setting the foundation for a successful marriage by discussing topics critically important to a marriage but often overlooked. I personally have found it useful in thinking about the type of relationship I would like to have with a future spouse and what qualities I should cultivate in myself and also look for in a partner. I would recommend it for those who are single and thinking about marriage, those who are dating someone and considering the potential of a marriage, and those are  actively planning a marriage and hoping to create a healthy foundation.”

– Anne B., workbook user (last name chosen to be withheld)

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“Whether you are heading down the aisle for the first time or entering a second marriage, The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples offers a concise yet thorough guide that addresses core issues for strengthening relationships.  This easy to use and downloadable resource helps couples explore and deepen their knowledge of one another…Kift does an excellent job of steering clear of over complicated jargon making this resource both relatable and user friendly.  Designed for couples to use at their own pace, this workbook provides excellent step-by-step guidance for enhancing your relationship now and in the future.  This highly recommended resource is a small investment that has the potential to yield big results.”

-Christina McGhee,MSW and author of Parenting Apart: Helping Separating and Divorced Parents Raise Happy and Secure Kids

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“This is just what I was looking for. You’ve done a great job compiling all the worksheet exercises in a way that makes the learning fun!  I also really like that you have included lots of further reading  / learning references. I’m so pleased I found you – thanks!”

– Jenny M., workbook user (last name chosen to be withheld)

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“As a therapist – and a wife – I know that one of the most important things we need to help us grow is practice, practice, and more practice. Lisa Brookes Kift’s The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples allows you to do just that. She keeps it simple – offering information and exercises in a way that is comprehensible for anyone. Whether you are preparing for your upcoming marriage, or are in a long-term commitment, I highly recommend this workbook as an effective medium to gain helpful tools and grow closer.”

– Aimee L. Zakrewski, MFT and creator of AZGrowth.com

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” What a great workbook! You have done a stellar job!.—-I have been coaching family relationships for many years. Lisa has captured the heart of communication basics in this easy to use workbook. I will recommend it to my clients.”

– Karen Calcagno, Family Business Coach

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“I have just finished reading your premarital workbook and I have to say, ‘Well done!’  Throughout much of it I was thinking, ‘Yes!  Thank you for saying that!’  Overall it seems like you’re helping couples hold a giant flashlight over that first layer of their relationship odyssey that they may not ever have looked at before.”

– Paula J. Richer, Premarital Counseling Promoter