Stephanie and Brian Smith have been married for 15 years. They have two children: Colin, 13, and Beth, 10. Their church recently started a series of family retreat weekends at a nearby mountain camp. After some discussion, the family members agree that it would be fun and rewarding to go on one of the weekends. At noon, the 20 families gather in the cafeteria/meeting hall for lunch. Everyone is given a name tag, and the leaders are introduced. After lunch, the families introduce themselves. Much to the children’s delight, there are many other children present. The leaders assign each family to one of five family subgroups. The family groups meet, and the four families in the Smith’s group become better acquainted. The group leader then introduces the first work session, entitled “Becoming More Aware.” There are exercises in identification of feelings; attention is given to feelings the participants would like to experience more often, and those they would like to experience less. After a break, the group leader discusses methods the families might use to reduce unwanted feelings and increase desired feelings. Each family then practices some of these methods, while the others observe. After each family finishes, group members offer a general critique. The families are free after the work session until dinner. After dinner, short movies on various developmental problems are shown to the children. At the same time, the parents attend a sexuality workshop, where they learn massage techniques designed to relax and give physical pleasure. They are then asked to practice the techniques in their individual cabins. They are assured of privacy because the children will be occupied for at least another hour. Meanwhile, the children form small groups and discuss how the children shown in the films can be helped with the developmental problems portrayed. The next morning, the first work session is devoted to the theme “Being Free.” This involves learning openness in experiencing each other. The children of the four families talk to each other about things they like and don’t like, while the parents sit and listen. Then the roles are reversed. Afterward, the families exchange children and are given a hypothetical problem to solve. Each newly constituted family has a half-hour to work on the problem, while the other families observe. At noon, each family group eats together and then uses the hour recreational period to do something together, such as hiking, boating, or fishing. The afternoon work session again separates the parents and children. In each case, the assignment is the same. The children are asked to form family groups, in which some children play the parents’ roles. They are given problems to work out as a family unit. The parents also form family groups, with some parents taking children’s roles. In the final dinner meeting, all the families come together. Both the families and the leaders try to summarize the experiences of the weekend and their significance. Then the leaders outline several homework assignments, and each family has to choose one and promise to work on it at home.

1. What do you see as the major benefits such an experience could provide a family? Why?

2. Would you be willing to participate with your family in such an experience? Why, or why not?

3. Do you have any friends who have participated in any kind of marriage enrichment experience? How did they respond to it?