ACTIVITIES FOR PARTNERS

Objectives and Golden Threads: The key values behind our work.

NEW!  Loving Without Words.  How do you say I Love You without words? Here is an exercise to strengthen your ability to non-verbally share your love with your partner -- and probably end up with some giggles to boot.

What is a Love Map? John Gottman has found that relationships are strengthened when couples have a well developed “Love Map” of their beloved. Gottman defines Love Maps as the knowledge we have about our partner. It is a guide to your partner’s inner landscape, and developing one means getting to know your partner better. 

Improving Financial Intimacy.  Here's a set of questions you can use to "interview" your partner to learn more about their experiences and beliefs about money. 

Sharing about Caring.  In couple dialogue, we often share gratitude with our partner for ways in which they have cared for us. This activity looks at caring from a slightly different angle by asking us to reflect more deeply on what we choose to do to care for our partner, and why. 

A Tender "Because".  Tender can mean "loving" or "easily hurt".  This exercise uses a simple 3-part sentence to explore both aspects. 

The Bucket List.  A framework using wishlists and playful dialogue to help partners understand and support each other's dreams for the future. 

What's Your Recipe for a Date Night? A whimsical way to share with your beloved what your ideal date might look like! 

New Year's Resolution Couple Growth Plan. Here's a 3-step activity that offers a structure for couples to plan together not only about what they want for the new year, but what they need to make those resolutions and dreams come true. 

Exploring Our Roles. Reflecting on the roles in our relationship, how they are chosen, and which ones bring us joy or tension.  View in browser or Download

Dialogue Roles: Description of the roles of speaker, listener, and witnesses

What is Your Decision-Making Style? A simple, thought-provoking activity for couples to use to look at how their decision-making styles may differ.

Couple Check In Exercise. Take turns sharing how you are feeling about 7 different areas of your life.

Couple Vision Board (PDF): Tap into your creative side and work with your partner to create a collage that expresses your hopes for your future together.

Your Rituals Will Set You Free: This exercise invites you to think about different sorts of rituals in your life, what purpose they serve, and how to create new rituals.

“Sharing My Sexual Self“ Sexual intimacy is a key part of most couples’ relationships. However, many of us don’t communicate well in this area. Some of us even carry the belief that talking about sex will destroy its “spontaneity.” By contrast, studies show that one of the most important factors in a mutually satisfying sex life is good communication.  Consider this exercise as a starting point to enabling you to talk more freely about sex. You just might find a lot more vitality in your sex lives!  Answer the questions separately, then share your answers together.  (Download Sharing My Sexual Self as a PDF)   

Holiday Season Couple Exercises:  These exercises are meant to lead to a dialogue on the meaning of the holiday season in your own mind and in your relationship.

Exercises for Ongoing Couple Enrichment Groups: a series of possible exercises that could be done as part of an ongoing Couple Enrichment Group.

Making Love Pills (PDF):  a whimsical way of getting us to think about how we give and receive love.

Exercises used during the Love and Relationships day at the Pendle Hill Young Adult Workshop “Continuing Revolution – Building Intentional Lives” (June 2018)

•  Intimacy Checklist (PDF)

•  The Four Horseman_ (PDF)

•  Four Cs of the Creative Use of Conflict (PDF)

Inventory–common areas of conflict.  Simple guidance for couples to enter into a dialogue about areas that most frequently cause conflict in partner relationships — money, time, family, sex, and mess.

CE Growth Plan  (PDF) : A useful tool for setting goals as individuals and as a couple. Set up as a three-month growth plan, but can easily be modified.

Sharing Our Spiritual Vocabularies: An exercise to learn more about the words you and your partner are comfortable and uncomfortable with (shared at the 2015 Leader Training)

“GLAD” Activity :  Mindfulness activity for couples (from Tom & Sharon Baring)

6 Critical Life Messages : an activity for couples (from Tom & Sharon Baring)

Couples Potential Inventory FCE: Inventory of the strengths you have as couple.

Five Things Exercise-FCE: List is for you to share five things of your choice with your partner, taking turns.

Five Fingers Guide: Visual aid to help you keep track of five key elements during dialogue.

Guidelines for Couples: Guidelines for couples during dialogues in ongoing groups.

Poem: Marriage, Two worlds together: Poems for couples.

Relationship Inventory: General inventory of a relationship.

Interviewing Your Partner: An exercise to know your partner better.

Notes for Dialogue Self Assessment: Queries for listening, dialogue and witness.

Privacy Transparency Boundaries: Talking about privacy, transparency, boundaries with your couple.

Expresando Amor: Ejercio sobre amar y sentirse amado.

Inventario de la relación: ejercicio sobre los aspectos de la relación de pareja

Introducción al diálogo: los diferentes roles del diálogo: el que escucha, el que habla, los testigos.

LA MANO: diagrama que guía el diálogo.

Reflexiones para diálogo: pautas para mejorar el ejercicio de dialogar.

Hilos Dorados: claves en una relación  de pareja saludable y duradera.

Directrices para parejas: pautas para el trabajo en pareja.

Objetivos: objetivos en el diálogo de parejas.