Stronger Marriage Connection
It's often said that marriage takes work. The Stronger Marriage Connection podcast wants to help because a happy marriage is worth the effort. USU Family Life Professor Dr. Dave Schramm and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Liz Hale talk with experts about the principles and practices that will enhance your commitment, compassion, and emotional connection.
More than ever before, marriages face obstacles, from the busyness of work and daily hassles to disagreements and digital distractions. It's no wonder couples sometimes drift apart, growing resentful, lonely, and isolated.
The Utah Marriage Commission invites you to listen and discover new ways to strengthen and protect your marriage connection today!
Stronger Marriage Connection
Marriage Ready: Why Premarital Education Makes All the Difference | Jeremy Boden | #148
Dr. Jeremy Bowden returns to discuss free marriage preparation resources available through the Utah Marriage Commission and Utah State University, including his newly created "Marriage Ready" and "Remarriage Ready" online courses.
• Premarital education helps couples understand relationship science, navigate potential challenges, and discuss expectations
• Free six-hour online courses fulfill Utah's requirement for a $20 marriage license discount
• Courses cover commitment, communication, conflict resolution, healthy sexuality, money management, and abuse prevention
• StrongerMarriage.org offers additional free resources including the Relate assessment, Ready assessment, and over 100 free e-courses
• Remarriage Ready addresses unique challenges like healing from emotional wounds and navigating step-parenting
• Happy marriages aren't void of conflict but feature consistent repair and abundant positive connections
• Dr. Bowden offers personalized premarital counseling through his "Before We Say I Do" program
Visit StrongerMarriage.org, HealthyRelationshipsUtah.org, or CenterForMarriagePrep.com to access these resources and strengthen your relationship.
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Dr. Dave Schramm:
Dr. Liz Hale:
On today's episode, dr Liz and I are thrilled to welcome back Dr Jeremy Bowden. We're diving into the many free resources the Utah Marriage Commission and Utah State University offers to Utahns. We'll talk about the brand new Marriage Ready and Re-Marriage Ready online courses written by Dr Bowden himself, and explore why premarital education is so important. Plus, we'll share the benefits of reaching out for help to strengthen your own marriage and support the marriages around you. Dr Jeremy Bowden is a professor of family science at Utah Valley University. He teaches courses in marriage and relationships, human sexuality, family dynamics and couples therapy in the Marriage and Family Therapy program. Jeremy is a licensed marriage and family therapist and maintains a small private practice in Provo, utah, where he specializes in couples and discernment counseling. He's also the owner and director of the Center for Marriage Preparation, which helps couples get ready for marriage through his Before we Say I Do program. You can check out his website at centerformarriageprepcom.
Speaker 1:We hope you enjoy the show. All right, online resources and e-courses have exploded in the last decade, but how do you know what is reliable and helpful these days? Well, here to discuss some new research-backed resources for engaged and married couples and backed by popular demand, is Dr Jeremy Bowden, a professor of marriage and family therapist at Utah Valley University. Welcome back to the show, jeremy. Thank you.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you having me back on the show.
Speaker 1:Yeah, always grateful for your time, your wisdom, your expertise. Jeremy, you were on the show back in I had to look it up 2022, talking about navigating the newlywed years, and that episode has done really well. By the way, and for our listeners who don't know, in addition to being just an awesome professor at Utah Valley University, Dr Bowden also has a private practice where he helps engaged couples, among others, prepare for marriage and helps those navigating the early years of marriage through those challenges. But before we dive into the resources you helped create, tell us a little bit, Jeremy, about why the focus on engaged couples. Isn't that, at times, supposed to be filled with love and romance and roses? They're like we don't need any help, man. We are so in love, we're ready to get married. Just let us get married. And then you're like, oh no, I'm here to take some courses. And they're like wait, what? Why would I need this? Why do couples need this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that is a great question, dave.
Speaker 2:I have found, you know, I've worked with a lot of premarital couples and I have found that a lot of them they do, like you said, they kind of go in with this, you know, this anticipation of what it's going to be like and and, yeah, and a lot of, a lot of the ways their expectations are met, but there's many ways that they're not, and so I have found that premarital education can be really helpful for them to understand the science of relationships and marriage, help them to navigate beforehand, but also navigate potential challenges for them, and also it's a great place for them to discuss their expectations.
Speaker 2:That's what I have found with a lot of the couples premarital couples that I've worked with. They'll often say I don't know how couples get married without learning all these things, because we have learned so much about ourselves, about our relationship and just really kind of this, like they said, the science of marriage and what it's like, and so it's just a really great place for them to be open about their expectations and to find ways to learn skills, important skills, skills that research has found to be helpful for them. So that's one of the benefits that I've found and the couples that I've worked with have found also.
Speaker 3:You know, I think it's so interesting, jeremy and Dave, is that there's still either a little bit of a stigma or young couples just haven't heard about pre-marriage therapy. Recently, ben and I are pretty close to a young man in our church and he's engaged, getting married in December, and I said, hey, you know, what have you thought about doing some pre-marriage therapy? I mean, ben, he didn't even have a choice, right, we did this and that, and I kind of went down the rundown he goes really. And he kind of took some notes and asked for the website. So I sent him strongermarriageorg, of course, but when he talked to his fiance about this she said, well, why would we do that?
Speaker 3:Like, what's wrong, what's wrong with us? Why do you think we need that? She was, you know, really kind of upset and a little bit of a little threatened and it's like, oh darn. You know, I hope that, if nothing else, from today comes this opportunity of a very open minded need for gosh, why not get started off on the right foot? We know so much about what there is to have a marriage thrive, wouldn't we want to know that?
Speaker 1:I was just thinking, liz, it's so true. I'm thinking, if I've never been to the Grand Canyon or something, I'm trying to think of an analogy and I'm just like, no, this is going to be fun, this is going to be adventure, wouldn't? I want to read up about it and prepare for it and just like, no, you know, this is going to be fun, this is going to be adventure. When I want to read up about it and prepare for it and be like, oh OK, I didn't know that I needed to take this. This is, this is good to know. So, man, I just see it is again for me, on this side of it, saying wow, how you don't know what you don't know until you start listening, learning these expectations, these conversations, expectations, these conversations that couples just won't have unless they are guided and kind of shown and opened up and said, oh okay, no, here's the grand king, you actually need this and this and this is very important to have these things.
Speaker 3:Some tools, some equipment, yeah, that's right In case you get lost or stuck Right. And it's not if, but when. That's right, yeah, well, perhaps you can. Oh, please go ahead.
Speaker 2:No, I just want to add I appreciate what you said, liz, around the stigma, because I think when people hear the word counseling or therapy they think, well, that's for people who have problems in their relationship and that is with premarital education and counseling. That's really not the truth, because a lot of, the vast majority of the content is just educational, just preventative information for them, like you said, learning the skills and understanding some of the you know. We know so much, as you said, we know so much about marriage, and so I think that there is that stigma that, oh, we don't need to do that because we're okay, but it's. That's not really. It's not about repairing necessarily their relationships, but it's repairing or preparing their relationship for what's going to come.
Speaker 3:Yeah, prepare for the repair right, because there will be that need for repairing time and time again. At least that's how it is in my marriage. Well, please set the stage for us for today. Jeremy, you serve on the Utah Marriage Commission very near and dear to both our hearts, dave and I, and you've created all kinds of helpful resources for your private practice. So the commission tapped into you recently to create a marriage prep course for StrongerMarriageorg. Thank you for that. Before we talk about the course, can you share a bit about Utah's marriage education discount for couples and how that ties into the course you created as well?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a great resource for couples and the great thing about it is that it's free. It's free for couples, and the great thing about it is that it's free. It's free for couples, and part of this is, if they go through the course and complete it, they will get a $20 discount on their marriage license. Part of this. There's other ways to get that, but really Utah requires six hours of approved relationship education or three hours of premarital counseling or therapy, things like that and some of what Utah Marriage Commission has put together. They really looked at the research and found, you know, what is going to be some of the most important topics and so included in this course that we're talking about today is commitment in marriage, effective communication, problem-solving skills, avoiding violence and abuse in relationships, and so those parts, those components, have to be part of any relationship education or premarital education in order for them to get that $20 discount.
Speaker 3:That is very cool. And do you have to be in utah? Is it for utah couples only?
Speaker 2:for the discount.
Speaker 3:Yes, uh, for the discount but any free to anybody, wherever they are yeah, yeah, in fact, yeah.
Speaker 1:For our listeners in other states, we're hoping you to really share this and get this information out there so they can also, uh, take advantage and they can sign up and take this course. There is a charge for those outside of Utah, but for Utahns the course is free. But I might add, though, liz, that for all of our listeners worldwide, thestrongermarriageorg it really is this world-class resource we just finished up these past 18 months resource. We just finished up these past 18 months. We've been busy it's crazy busy with our team and instructional designers and experts that we've actually hired script writers across the country, scholars, researchers, therapists to develop all kinds of courses. Many of these are these 15-minute short e-courses online. These are available, again for free for everyone online at StrongerMarriageorg.
Speaker 1:We've created this series, actually called this Ready series, so it's dating ready, step family ready, marriage ready that Dr Bowden created for us, remarriage ready, which he also created. So that's where you'll find, of course, the podcasts and webinars and these e-courses, but all kinds of free resources to help couples in their relationship and their marriage journey. So, yeah, so that's what we tasked Dr Bowden to develop this six-hour online. Now it's not just like right, this big old six sit there and hit play and then you watch for six hours. I think all of us would die six hours straight, but it has. It's a little. It's chunked up into shorter segments, but it does. It fulfills the requirement in utah to get that $20. We'll be right back after this brief message and we're back.
Speaker 3:Let's dive right in what are some of the other key topics? Jeremy, that marriage ready covers yeah, a good question.
Speaker 2:That's a one of the things that we want to look at is, again, what is the? What does the research really say? What does does the literature say about what's going to be most important for these couples? And so we're looking at what we you know, like Dave said, this idea of getting ready, and so there's ready for a healthy me which gets into understanding our own mental and emotional well-being, ready for a greater connection and better communication, getting ready to turn conflict into connection and ready to manage conflict and understand abuse. There's also some modules and content on getting ready for a healthy sexual relationship and managing money and then really helping them understand what commitment means in marriage and so ready for the long run and how they can implement some tools into their relationship around that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I mean just critical, critical topics, right, Liz?
Speaker 3:I don't think you missed anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it really is very comprehensive. Jeremy, walk us through a little bit about the structure, kind of how you developed this, kind of broke it up, like I talked about earlier, because it's not this you know, hit, play and watch for six hours. Tell us a little bit about, yeah, the thought process, going behind and chunking it up, making it, I don't know, interesting, interactive as well and chunking it up, making it I don't know interesting interactive as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I teach some online courses at Utah Valley University and we know that you can't just put up a six-hour video and expect people just to watch it straight through. So, yeah, there are videos that couples will watch and they'll gain some important insights about marriage. I think the instructional designers did a great job to turn the script that I wrote into some really terrific videos that include animation and graphics and things like that. So it's not just this talking head that is up there for six hours, but we've also integrated some interactive parts into the course, where couples have an opportunity to review some of the things that they've learned and also pause the videos and discuss some of their thoughts and insights and, like I was saying before, gives them an opportunity to explore some of their expectations based on some of the questions that are posed in the videos. And so the thing that I really like about this is it goes beyond just simple, you know advice, kind of social media advice that you might get off of social media. It goes much deeper around that. I mean it goes much deeper around that and they're going to get some of the best and most up to date research on what really, what makes marriage work and how to best prepare for marriage. And so we're going to we looked at some of the best theories and models and frameworks around marriage that we know and, look you know, like you said earlier kind of tapped into some of the leading experts in the field today and created content for them that's both accessible but also, more importantly, that it is applicable and that they can apply these theories, these concepts, these principles to their relationship immediately.
Speaker 2:And so we put a lot of work into this course and I think that couples will also get you know. A big part of this is how to work as a team to prepare for their marriage and how to make a great marriage by being. A big part of this is being intentional about the success of their relationship, which, if they're taking the course, they're already being intentional, which is a great template for them, a great way to start their marriage is because they're being intentional by doing this, because we know not all couples in Utah are going to be going through this. We wish they would, but they are being intentional, which hopefully will set the pace, the tone for them throughout their marriages, to be proactive, to be a team member in their marriage and to be intentional. So that's a big part of that, of course.
Speaker 3:It's such a boost of confidence to have all this. I mean I like to call this great labor of love the labor of love, sweat and tears. You know I mean bless you. What a gift. What a gift, dr Bowen. I'm just so impressed. You know I mean. Bless you. What a gift. What a gift, dr Bowen. I'm just so impressed. You know, according to the research, what are the benefits of premarital education, who it's for and why should our viewers, listeners, watch or even trust this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's an important question, liz, because, yeah, who is this? What do we need to know? Should they? Is this? What do we need to know? Should they trust this? And, to answer your question directly, is the research is pretty clear that if couples will invest time before marriage exploring their expectations, learning and applying communication and conflict resolution skills and understanding some of the science behind what makes marriage work, they are more likely to stay together, they're more likely to stay committed, to work through issues and to be happily married. And so, yeah, the data is out there. It's pretty clear that if couples will do this, they increase their chances of having a better marriage. A better marriage. And so which is why I think Utah has put so much resource and time and energy into this because they're they're following what the data says, what the research says, that, yeah, this is going to be helpful for couples. Beautiful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it really is, jeremy. Let me mention a few of the other resources. Kind of plug them now for our listeners as they go to strongermarriageorg. Again, I mentioned the 100 plus of these free e-courses. We also have a relationship assessment called Relate. This Relate assessment has been around 30, 40 years, jeremy, developed by scholars and those in again in Utah. You can take this for free instead of having to pay for this. So take this related assessment, what it does. It asks all kinds of questions. It actually takes some time to do this because it asks questions in 10 different areas Again, from how you were raised to sexuality, to communication pattern, money, all of those types of really important topics, and so what couples will do is they'll each take it separately, answer the questions and then relate, yeah, piles all this data, puts it together and says, hey, here's some areas not necessarily problem areas, but here's some areas that you may have answered a little bit differently, that you may want to talk about, to discuss, and I would actually plug going to a therapist, a counselor, maybe, with their relationship assessment, and here's some things that we took this.
Speaker 1:Can you kind of guide us through this so that relate assessment, both for those couples who are engaged, ready to marry, as well, as I took it many years ago after I was married, because it still can give insights, helpful I guess, just kind of discussion starters of things that we should. We could talk about these expectations, differences in how we were, we were raised, so all kinds of wonderful resources on there. There's what's called another assessment, called a ready assessment. If you're just dating and thinking about, am I ready for a serious relationship, am I ready to get married? So there's that assessment as well.
Speaker 1:And then I also wanted to plug the free courses again in Utah. You can find these at healthyrelationshipsutahorg. So we have strongermarriageorg with the Utah Marriage Commission and then Utah State has its own resources that we provide with USU Extension at Healthy Relationships Utah, all one word. We'll put those links in the show notes. But we provide classes, yeah, from St George to Logan classes on happiness and positivity, on parenting, dating, remarriage, stepfamilies, all kinds of topics, absolutely free. So, jeremy, you're familiar with the. I'm going back to the Relate assessment. Do you have you used that or do you know of couples have used that, or when they talk with you about it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I have absolutely, and I've recommended couples because it's very personalized to their relationship and so it can show them the strengths in their relationship. It can also highlight some potential challenges and growth areas for them and it's self-interpretative in that they can take it and get the results back immediately and go through it together, and I love that. You said you know there may be some things that come up where they go. Oh, we, you know, we may want to reach out to a third party and kind of explore some of these things. So I've had couples reach out to me and say, hey, we got our results from this relates assessment and we'd love to talk to you about some of them. Yeah, absolutely, so I'm familiar with it. I've had couples take it and I love that the state offers this for free. It's a great resource and yeah, so I'm so glad that we're talking about it here.
Speaker 3:That's the one that my husband, ben and I took because we got married just 12 years ago. So Relate was, you know, front and center out of BYU, correct? Because I remember going down sitting down with Dr Jeff Larson, I think, is his name. Does that sound familiar? I think he was instrumental in the Relate, so we found it super helpful. Gosh, I'd like to get my hands on that now. I'm going to go do some digging. You've made me so curious about what that said. You know. Now, 12 years later, my memory is a little foggy, but what a great beginning. I will always be grateful to that and to Jeff Larson, you know so, jeremy, in addition to the Marriage Ready online courses you created, you're also tasked with creating a re-Marriage Ready online course. Tell us about that course. I'm sure it has similarities and differences to Marriage Ready.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I'm glad that you asked about that because it's something I've been working on over the last year and I was so excited and honored and even humbled that they asked me to come back and to work on this. Because, you know, there's also a personal and also professional perspective that I have on this Because I am remarried. My wife and I were previously married to other spouses and so we've now been married, coming up on 15 years, and we're a remarried couple that formed a step family, and so I've learned a few things and understand and can have some empathy to the challenges that remarriage can bring. And then also from a professional perspective, I also work with and have worked with many remarried couples as well as couples who are preparing for remarriage and want to make sure that they do it right, and so that's a little bit of my background.
Speaker 2:I've taught courses in the community around remarriage. I obviously teach at UVU about remarriage and understanding the dynamics from that, and so from that professional perspective, I was able to bring some of that as well. So with that background, when they asked me to do this, I really wanted to get back into the literature, the research and understand what are the professionals out there, what are they teaching, what are they writing about, what are they studying? And because I wanted to get a really good grasp on what makes remarriage successful, because we know from their heart, remarriages have a higher divorce rate than first-time marriages and so we wanted to see, well, how can Utah be helpful to these couples and try to decrease some of those divorce rates. And so I think this course and the course on also step parenting that Utah has will be very valuable to any couple.
Speaker 2:And kind of to go and answer some of your other questions, what I like about this course is we tried to integrate much of the same content that was in Marriage Ready, because a lot of the same principles and theories and research is going to apply to that.
Speaker 2:But we also include parts of remarriage that are very unique, things like healing from old emotional wounds. You know previous relationship navigating step, parenting and how areas such as sexual intimacy, finances, communication, conflict resolution they've got some nuances to it that a lot of first-time married couples don't have to bump up against, whereas remarried couples they're bumping up against some of these unique challenges to those areas, and so we tried to address those as well in this course, and so what we have found in the literature is that many of the issues that remarried couples face are preventable. I mean, a lot of scholars have talked about that that if remarried couples will do some education and some preventative work a lot of these issues and challenges that increase the divorce rate, we can decrease it and help them to be more intentional, more proactive in their approach to preparing better.
Speaker 3:Sweet, sweet, wow. And who better to lead the way on remarriage ready than someone like you, dr Jeremy Bowden? You know, and you, front and center, live to tell about it and I just am so grateful for you.
Speaker 1:We'll be right back after this brief message, and we're back, let's dive right in. Jeremy, I'm curious, let me pick your brain for a second, if you're uh, just maybe from your experiences, uh, as a therapist, are remarried couples any more, um, open? Maybe is the word to you know, remarriage preparation, or or is there still some hesitancy? Do you have a? Do you get a sense? You know what I'm saying? As far as, like man, that was really challenging and I think we could use some, some help, or going to a counselor or more or less open about the same, or just kind of very it kind of varies, I would say.
Speaker 2:when they're in my office, when I've worked with them one-on-one, they are ready to soak it.
Speaker 2:In First-time married premarital couples they're a little hesitant just because they don't know exactly what to expect.
Speaker 2:But I think with remarried couples they tend to be a little bit in my experience a little bit more proactive. They're more likely to do some of the work because they know. Now they know what they didn't know and so they are going to jump into it. But the research shows that we need to do a better job in getting the word out that there are resources like this available, because a lot of them will get caught up in that dopamine drench of a new relationship and that this relationship is going to be different and better than my first marriage, and they get caught up in that love cocktail and kind of fall prey to some of the same thinking that first-time married couples do. And so it's definitely. I would say it's probably even more important for remarried couples to do some premarital education than it would be for first-time. I mean, both are really, really important. But I have found that the remarried couples I've worked with they have just been so grateful for the things that they wish they would have known in their first marriage.
Speaker 1:Yeah, interesting. Well, jeremy, as we wrap up our time together, you kind of know the drill. You've been on the podcast. We'd love to ask all of our guests a couple of questions, so I'm going to ask you again, even though you're on. Yeah, a few years ago, what do you feel like is the key to a stronger marriage connection? Or a key? I don't know if there is the key, but, yeah, what's an important key to a stronger marriage connection?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I wonder how I answered it back in the other one, I'd have to go back and listen to it.
Speaker 2:I don't know if it's changed in the last 30 years.
Speaker 2:I know for the last few years one of the things because it's such a great question and something that I often talk about with my I have found is a lot of couples believe that a happy relationship has to be void of disconnections in order for it to be happy or strong, that has to be void of conflict and things like that. But when we look at the research and even in my work with couples, I have found that happy marriages don't emerge from a lack of conflict or a lack of disconnections, but the presence of consistent repair from those disconnections and lots of positive connections. I know we've used the word connections quite a bit in this, but that is really if you kind of boil down I will say this to my students a lot if you boil down all the research and what it really finds is that it's not that lack of conflict that these master marriages, but it's the presence of consistent repair and then supplemented with lots and lots of positive connections. And so, in other words, happy couples struggle at times. Happy couples have conflicts, they hurt each other's feelings, they let each other down, but these same couples that are happy they're happy because they repair quickly and then they have lots of positive connections throughout the day, the week and throughout the years that they're married and these add up over time. And this is my friend that I'm really frustrated with. This is my partner that just let me down. But I know that we love each other, we care about each other because we've had so many positive connections and so it's that ratio that helps them push through some of those tough moments.
Speaker 2:But it's really about repair and building in intentionally building in lots of positive connections. So in my work with couples they don't come in and I don't become this super problem solver. I don't. In my classes I don't teach about how to solve each and every problem. What we do is really we identify some of the cycles that get in, that they get into, that create these disconnections. Then I help them to build understanding and empathy and compassion for each other's hurts and then express that compassion to each other. And then we talk about how can we integrate lots of positive connections into their marriage. How can we repair? Because it's really that's what it comes down to. It's the repair and the abundance of positive connections that make strong marriage connections.
Speaker 1:Man well said, my friend Well said. I love that. Thank you for sharing.
Speaker 3:And you're so right. Connection is really a key part, right? I'm so glad it's part of our podcast name Stronger Marriage Connection. When we first were getting together, dave and I and a few other team members, and deciding the name of this podcast, I thought Stronger Marriage Connection was a mouthful. Remember, dave have you forgiven me, dave I questioned whether we should really need a connection on it because I was so such a fan of Stronger Marriage right, and that I'd been a voice for StrongerMarriageorg and it was very near and dear to me. But it was the right thing to do. You're right, jeremy, and you were so right, dave. You know, in addition to these wonderful resources that are safely created on StrongerMarriageorg, you offer other resources and counseling services as well. Where can listeners go to find out more about you and what you offer, jeremy? And we'll tuck it away or not tuck it away. We'll place it on our notes. Following this podcast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and thanks for asking that, liz I have my own private practice. I mean, I am a full-time faculty at UVU so I'm quite busy with that, but I have a private practice here in Provo. In fact, that's where I'm recording this. And so, beyond the Marriage Ready online course I've created and the Remarriage Ready, I also created a personalized, a little bit more intensive premarital program called Before we Say I Do, and this is for premarital couples who are interested in going into their preparation with a bit more focus on their individual circumstances, like I said, a little bit more personalized.
Speaker 2:And so the program includes a workbook that I've written. It includes videos and in the workbook I have over you know, in the workbook I have over 750 discussion questions for them on over 40 topics and stuff and it has videos in it. And then they meet with me for about eight sessions or a relationship educator, because I'm starting to train other people in this. I'm training some therapists, I'm training some relationship educators, and if they want to learn more about that, they can go to wwwcenterformarriageprepcom. That's where they can get more information on this. Before we Say I Do program that I just talked about there.
Speaker 3:My goodness, that's a wealth of information. Centerformarriageprepcom. Okay.
Speaker 1:I love it. Yeah, again, our listeners, we will add those to our show notes. Lots of links that we're throwing at you and resources, but let me also plug Dr Bowden's resources. They're just world-class, top-notch, and we really don't view these as a competition, it's more complimentary. We say, man, yeah, go take his stuff, and I believe your stuff right counts for the six-hour you know the discount or get therapy for three hours of counseling. So our whole mission, really with the podcast, with the Utah Marriage Commission, is to get good information, research-based information, out to couples, to people who need it to help them. So, yeah, we are happy to share any and all resources that we feel are strong, research-based and absolutely we put our stamp on Dr Bowden's, all of his stuff. So, yeah, great thing. So go check those out. Hey, jeremy, before we wrap up, we'd like to share and conclude with a takeaway of the day. Is there a take home message you hope our listeners will remember from our discussion?
Speaker 2:today, a consistently great marriage and stronger connection is very much possible, like most things. But you know, like most things in life, it takes that intentional, proactive and consistent work. Really preparing for marriage is one of the best ways to do that, and so that would be my takeaway that I hope people will get, that they'll kind of gain that conviction that, yes, that is possible to have a great marriage and a strong connection, but it is going to take some work beforehand and throughout the relationship.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yes, it does. Yeah, Well said Liz. What about you? What's your takeaway today?
Speaker 3:Well, I love that. I started this interview today feeling the same way, Jeremy, about repair, repair, repair, right. It happens again and again throughout the course of our marriages and it doesn't mean something's wrong. It's what's right with that right, what's right with being able to repair again. And I'm just so impressed knowing much more now after our interview with you, that Healthy Relationships, utahorg, strongermarriageorg, of course, and wwwcenterformarriageprepcom those are three strong resources. I'm going to print those out and hand them out in my private practice. So thank you for that, Dave. What about you? What's the richest nugget you hope that we're all going to remember from our time today with Dr Jeremy Bowden?
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks, liz. Jeremy, I want to come full circle almost to how I started. There are, you know, just tons and tons. You go to chat, gpt hey, what do I need to do to prepare for marriage? You get all kinds of information, but we hope that you will go to the research-based information, that the trusted that is tried and true, developed from scholars, therapists, that come together to put this out there for you.
Speaker 1:So, if you're listening to this right now and you're not preparing for marriage, but you know someone who is, or you're a parent, and you know someone who is getting engaged, or you just say, hey, man, they could really use some of those Again, the webinars and the e-courses, our podcasts. We hope that you will share this information about the Marriage Ready, the Remarriage Ready and all the wonderful resources that we have here that the Utah Marriage Commission has put together with USU Extension. Share it with those that you come in contact with. Don't keep that a secret. Get this information out as our hope so we can help couples to have a stronger marriage connection. So, jeremy, thanks again for making time to come on. Thanks for the great work that you do, both for the commission, uh, at Utah Valley university in your therapy practice, you are doing a lot of good, my friend.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, dave and Liz. I I'm honored to, to be part of this and to just uh talk with the two of you, who are also leaders in this great work of strengthening marriage. So thank you for your efforts, your knowledge and expertise.
Speaker 3:We'll do it again a third time sometime, Jeremy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, let's do that for now. That's all, my friends. Thanks for tuning in for another episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection. We'll see you next time.
Speaker 3:And remember it's the small things that create a stronger marriage connection. Take good care now.
Speaker 1:Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 1:Hey, do us a favor and take a second to subscribe to our podcast and the Utah Marriage Commission YouTube channel at Utah Marriage Commission, where you can watch this and every episode of the show. Be sure to smash the like button, leave a comment and share this episode with a friend. You can also follow and interact with us on Instagram, at StrongerMarriageLife, and Facebook, at Stronger Marriage, so be sure to share with us which topics you loved or which guests we should have on the show. Next, if you want even more resources to improve your marriage or relationship connection, visit StrongerMarriageorg, where you'll find free workshops, e-courses, in-depth webinars, relationship surveys and more. Each episode of Stronger Marriage Connection is hosted and sponsored by the Utah Marriage Commission at Utah State University. And finally, a big thanks to our producer, rex Polanis, and the team at Utah State University and you, our audience, rex Polanis and the team at Utah State University, and you, our audience. You make this show possible. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the Utah Marriage Commission.