Healthy Marriages Grand Rapids

 Dr. Lisa McMinn, June 3, 2009

“Growing Strong Daughters: Understanding the Cultural and Theological Landscape,” featuring Lisa McMinn, Ph.D. Registration at 8 am, lecture from 8:30 – 11:30 am in the Postma Center on Pine Rest's main campus, 300 68th Street, SE, Grand Rapids. Pre-registration is required. Cost: $30; free for Pine Rest staff. Call 616/455-5279 for more information. MI CE Collaborative Clock Hours: 3

Speaker Biography
Dr. McMinn received a Masters degree in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Systems Science/Sociology from Portland State University. McMinn is a Professor of Sociology at George Fox University and is the author of three books, including Growing Strong Daughters, The Contented Soul, and Sexuality and Holy Longing.

Program Description
Women receive ambiguous messages about what it takes for them to be loved and valued; messages that sometimes run counter to what we understand from Christian theology. This presentation offers an overview and analysis of the cultural landscape that shapes girl’s and women’s views of themselves, and suggests implications and recommendations for those working with adolescent, young adults, and adult women.

Program Objectives
• Understand the various (and ambiguous) cultural messages about value and worth that shape the sense of self for girls and women.
• Understand cultural and counseling implications of a redemptive theological perspective for how males and females reflect the image of God.
• Gain greater self-awareness for how cultural messages have impacted counselors, teachers, and youth workers themselves, in addition to the girls and women with whom they work.

Registration
Lecture cost is $30. Pine Rest staff is free of charge.

Please register for this lecture by May 27, 2009. Call 616/455-5279 with questions.

Non Pine Rest staff click here to register online.

Pine Rest staff click here to register online.

The Third Option is an on-going group program to build better marriages. It is designed for all married couples and can be used both as marriage enrichment or crisis intervention. For hurting couples, who see only two options (painful endurance or divorce) the third option means reconciliation. For ordinary couples, the program teaches them the skills they need to have happier, healthier marriages. For more information, click here.

Read the article from the Grand Rapids Press about The Third Option here.

This Marriage Preparation Workshop, Secrets for Successful Marriage, is taught by experienced marriage professionals and is for couples who want to grow their relationship in preparation for marriage. It teaches couples healthy relationship skills that will benefit them throughout their lives together. Because it is skill based, Secrets for Successful Marriage is a valuable addition to traditional pastoral or professional premarital counseling. In addition, couples take the FOCCUS inventory, a questionnaire designed to help them identify relationship strengths and potential areas of growth. The workshop instructor interprets the results of the inventory in a group setting. Individualized follow up is available for an additional cost.  For more information, click here.