*Links marked with an asterisk are to web sites requiring discernment, but nevertheless offer substantial help to individuals and families.

    Have you ever heard the phrase “Love is blind”?  Well, it doesn’t have to be!  Your mind needs to know what to look for in order to shape an accurate profile of the person you are dating.  And your heart needs to know how to keep proper balances between the bonding forces which form the attachment in your growing relationship.
    Dr. John Van Epp, has an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling and Psychology and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychology.  Dr. Van Epp has developed a program to follow in the premarital relationship and decision-making process.

Relationship Attachment Model (RAM)
    There are five adhesive dynamics which create the feelings of attachment in every relationship.  When these dynamics are out of balance, then you overlook signs of future difficulties in order to maintain your emotional closeness.  These dynamics are Know, Trust, Rely, Commit, and Touch.

    To accurately predict what a person you are dating will be like in marriage, five areas must be thoroughly investigated.  These are the areas to "get to know" in the first bonding dynamic:
 Five Key Areas to Grow to Know (FACES)
“F”          Family Dynamic and Childhood Experiences
“A”         Attitudes and Actions of the Conscience
“C”         Compatibility Potential
“E”          Examples from Previous Relationships
“S”          Skills of Communication

    Visit his web site to learn more about Dr. Van Epp’s program “How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk (Jerkette).
www.nojerks.com

 

To order a copy of Dr. John Van Epp’s book How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk, click here