Now that I’ve explained that most Celebrants do not do marriage prep, I am going to recommend a book to anyone who is in a committed relationship and interested in a little help with keeping their relationship alive, healthy, and vibrant, whether they are newlyweds or have been together thirty years.
A few years back when I was teaching high school seniors, I asked one of my regular guest speakers if he had any background reading recommendations for me on the topic of “healthy marriage.” Tim Jordan, M.D.* is a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician who graciously donated his time each semester to talk with my students about ways they could learn to take care of themselves as they moved through the stressful transition from high school to college. One of the books he recommended to me was, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples, by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D.
Reading this book is a terrific opportunity to learn healthy relationship skills that can greatly enrich the lives of couples in committed relationships. It is available in its 20th anniversary edition at most bookstores and online. My husband Rock and I have recently rediscovered it on our bookshelf and have begun working through the exercises together. My recommendation of this book is offered, not as a Celebrant, but as half of a married couple who always appreciates insights and support in developing a stronger, deeper, and more intimate marriage.
*For more information on the wonderful work with children and adolescents that Tim and Anne Jordan are doing, see
www.weloki.com