Website Review: The Power of Two Marriage Program

With all of the online marriage resources there are in the market, it’s been hard to filter through the advertisements and bad advice from non-professionals and find a one-stop-shop resource that answers tough marriage questions and offers practical, life changing advice. Until now.

While the types of problems today’s married couples face evolve, effective communication skills remain a constant requirement for healthy marriages. Having noticed that a comprehensive online marriage program was missing, the Power of Two team including mother-daughter psychologists, Dr. Susan Heitler and Dr. Abigail Hirsch, set out to create an unparalleled resource with sound advice and activities for today’s couples who want a better marriage now.

Based on the activities, workshops and books written by Dr. Heitler and Dr.Hirsch such as The Power of Two: Secrets to a Strong and Loving Marriage, The Power of Two Workbook, and from Conflict To Resolution the website program combines this literature plus additional original interactive activities and educational content.

Cleanly designed and easy to navigate, the Power of Two website is a confidential service loaded with interactive activities, instructional videos, worksheets, and do on your own and together challenges designed to teach relationship building skills in the following four core areas: communication, emotion regulation, shared decision making, and positivity and support.

The Power of Two isn’t a social networking site and it’s not loaded with advertising; It’s a navigation bay engineered to help members take their marriage into a positive direction. There’s nobody else to compare oneself in the program; It’s just you and your spouse, the resources, and your coach.

During a short introductory section, around 15-20 minutes, members will get to know their coach, the Power of Two team, and immediately begin identifying the core areas in their marriage they’d like to improve. The coach then suggests topics called the “Coach’s Picks” that offer lots of information, tips, how-to’s, and practical advice on your preferred subjects. Members can also cruise around and check out different subject areas and interact with their coach via e-mail.

Because modern couples are time-constrained, the program was designed to be completed at one’s own pace which can span over a few weeks to months. The short activities are perfect for completing in the morning before work, during lunch, or before bed and can be done individually or together. The activities are focused, simple to understand, and clearly laid out so that couples can take the skills they learn and apply them almost immediately. Members can begin working alone and include their spouse later on or immediately begin working as a team.

The worksheets ask simple, yet powerful questions designed to identify the root of a client’s specific problems and relationship goals. The videos range from cartoons like Bob, Kelly, and the Belly which features a young couple on the verge of parenthood to men sharing their heartwarming and hilarious experiences as fathers and husbands, to actual workshops in which real couples share their experiences and get expert advice. There are also 3 to 10 minute podcasts by Dr. Heitler and Dr. Hirsch that strike at the heart of relationship issues like job loss, finances, and intimacy.

Whether you’re a single or divorced person wanting to prepare for a fulfilling relationship, dating and ready to commit, married and going through problems, or happily married, everyone can benefit from the service The Power of Two offers to improve their communication and relationship skills. No topic is left behind: abuse, financial management, co-parenting, pregnancy, physical and emotional intimacy, and more.

The one problem I found was that the program currently lacks in-depth coverage on physical and emotional abuse, addiction, and depression. However, the service can be used as a complement to outside professional counseling or treatment for the aforementioned issues as effective communication and basic relationship skills are essential in recovery.

As for my personal experience, I consider myself to be in a happy marriage and I was not sure if the service could make my relationship any better. I began the introduction and a couple of the activities planning to spend thirty minutes on the site. Instead, I ended up going back and forth for hours, learning techniques that I had never learned for arguing, conflict resolution, and problem solving. I learned key words to avoid in any argument and ways to make my husband feel supported. I then began looking through the website to see if I could find tips for my friends who are currently experiencing relationship issues; That’s when I knew the website was fulfilling its intended purpose.

I especially appreciated that the doctors and the activities spoke in a language that anyone with any education level could feel respected and not feel talked down. The subject matter is serious, but its delivery is light and encouraging. I laughed while watching the video reenactments, relating to the dialogue. I wasn’t being “entertained”; rather, I was being engaged. I didn’t feel guilty when I learned that I wasn’t doing my best to resolve a problem; instead the energy focused on the fact that we all make mistakes and that there are ways to improve our behavior. I felt empowered to take what I had learned and apply it in my marriage.

I think men will like this because the program isn’t touchy-feely-hippy-kumbaya stuff. It’s about learning how to handle real life situations and building skills so that the relationship performs at its best, rather like a sport. The relationship, or game in this instance, is broken down into easy to understand segments that helps men improve their weak spots and strengthen their existing abilities making the program practical and logical for men to get involved. The website doesn’t give off a feminist vibe, either. It’s neutral for both men and women to feel like it’s a safe place to participate.

After speaking with Jacob Heitler, the Power of Two’s director of development, I could feel the enthusiasm and respect he had for the people the website is trying to help. In fact, his brother and Dr. Susan Heitler’s son, Jesse Heitler, is VP of Technology, making the Power of Two operation a family affair invested in the health and success of marriages everywhere.

This is the first online resource that I would recommend without second thought to anybody. Anybody who wants a better relationship or marriage. Anybody who wants to start or re-start their marriage on the right track. Anybody who wants to love at their greatest capacity and to feel that love in return, because marriage isn’t easy. It’s work and it requires excellent communication and core skills in order to endure.

Currently, the program is $18.00 per month, which makes it an excellent value for all of the resources and the personalized service members receive. Don’t wait, however, because prices are expected to go up sometime in 2011.

LiveLoveLeslie readers can enjoy a 25 percent discount with the following code on the Power of Two website making for a $14.50 a month membership: livelove-blog

Follow this link and automatically receive the discount: http://winwin.poweroftwomarriage.com/account/signup/?signup_referrer=livelove-blog

The Power of Two also offers live-online and in-person marriage workshops.

Thanks to the Power of Two Team, I’m offering a FREE 3 month membership to a lucky reader who comments below telling us what they’d like to accomplish in their marriage and shares this article on their twitter or facebook.