As I mentioned a few weeks ago, a rep at Zondervan contacted me about participating in Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott’s book blog tour. Their newest book is Trading Places: The Best Move You’ll Ever Make in Your Marriage.
The opportunity to read this book was truly heaven sent. Earlier this year I set out on a mission to understand how to make the best of marriage. I definitely found answers in this book.
I’ll be writing more about other information I gleaned as the year goes on, but for now I want to share with you another answer I received –right from the authors themselves.
My Question
In Chapter 7, you discuss the eHarmony Marriage Program and what couples can expect when they utilize it. You mentioned that in addition to receiving a Marriage Action Plan (MAP), couples will also get a report on the “ten foundational categories crucial for marital satisfaction.” I was instantly curious about this. Could you elaborate on what those ten categories are?
Their Answer
Sure. I want to say at the outset that this online tool is not based on “armchair psychology.” The Marriage Profile (MP) was rigorously validated following strict empirical research. It is a highly personalized report and it taps into the essential dimensions crucial for a happy marriage. The MP provides personalized feedback on each dimension for each spouse in addition to tips and advice for the couple.
Here are the ten categories crucial for marital satisfaction:
• A shared dream – it guides the future of your relationship
• Dynamic Dialogue – it’s lifeblood of every healthy marriage
• Sex and Romance – it fuels the passion of your physical connection
• Power of Commitment – it is the superglue of your relationship
• Personal Growth – it is vital to the wellbeing of your marriage
• Counting on Trust – it determines the quality of your relationship
• Roles and Responsibilities – it clarifies expectations vital to connecting
• The World Around You – it shows you how to fortify your marriage
• Authentic Friendship – it reveals the source of your closeness
• Guiding Principles – it explores your shared spirituality
These were developed by a team of experts from the fields of clinical psychology, social psychology and marriage and family therapy. Feedback was developed for all dimensions and for numerous levels of functioning within each dimension. That is within each dimension specific feedback was developed for individuals who scored at various ranges within it.
The bottom line is that this is a very sophisticated instrument that goes a long way in helping couples “Trade Places.” More than a quarter million couples have gone through it with rave reviews. To look into these categories with more detail you can click onto this link.
About Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
This busy husband and wife team are the co-directors of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University, the co-creators of eHarmony Marriage, and the founders of RealRelationsips.com. They’re also the authors of several best selling and award-winning books. Their work has been featured in the New York Times and USA Today and they have appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, and Oprah.
Bestselling Books by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts (Gold Medallion Award-Winner)
More About Trading Places
To browse inside the book, click here.
To watch a YouTube video about the book, click here.
To read other Q&A’s on the book blog tour, click here.
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