UNITED - SMART Couples - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

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A Couples Workshop for Every Relationship

No Matter Where You Are In Your Relationship,
the Skills You'll Learn Will Have a Lifelong Impact

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

RELATIONSHIP STRENGTHENING

Class Overview
Introduction – Welcome from the Instructor
- Relationship Poisons and Antidotes
- A Model for Change and Happiness
- 8 Needs of Every Relationship
Workshop 1
- Characteristics of Strong, Stable Marital Friendships
- What Trust Is and How to Maintain It
- Love as Emotion, Behavior, and Commitment
Workshop 2
- Important Love and Connection Rituals
- 10 Mind Traps
- Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reason
Workshop 3
- Positive Interaction Skills
- 5 Virtues of Marital Friendships
- Investing in Your Relationship
Workshop 4
- Three General Areas of Expectations
- 5 Bs of Managing Expectations
Workshop 5
- Stages of Marital Friendship
- 3 Types of Commitment
- Model of Mutual Cyclical Growth
Workshop 6
- Rules of Communication
- Cycle of Self-Disclosure
- Skillful Sending and Receiving of Messages
Workshop 7
- 4 Don'ts of Communication
- The Destructive Power of Negativity
- 10 Rules for Constructive Conflict
Workshop 8
- Principles of Healing
- Patterns of Accusation, Blame, and Victimization
- Short-Circuiting Negative Cycles of Conflict
Workshop 9
- Bonds of Affection and Intimacy
- Investing in Social, Emotional, and Mental Intimacy
- Engaging in Spiritual and Physical Intimacy
Workshop 10
- Changing Attitudes
- Choosing to Be Positive
- Mindfulness
Workshop 11
- What A Balanced Lifestyle Looks Like
- Triangular Theory of Balancing Work and Family
- Setting Boundaries and Saying "No"
Workshop 12
- Setting S.M.A.R.T. Financial Goals Together
- What Your Credit Report Tells You
- Managing Finances
Workshop 13
- How Health and Relationships Are Linked
- Relationship Impacts on Health
- Practicing Healthy Lifestyles
Workshop 14
- Mental Health
- Signs and Symptoms of Mental Illness
- Relaxation, Mindfulness, and Simplicity
Workshop 15
- Health Parenting Practices
- Positive Parenting Strategies
- What to Do When Children Behave/Misbehave

U-MET is FREE!

The Benefits Are Priceless

A Lasting Impact!

See How Our SMART Programs Are Benefiting Attendees

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“My relationship with my partner is stronger than ever ... ”

- Taylor Sparkman, ELEVATE Alum

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"The ELEVATE class was a wonderful growing and learning experience for my partner and I. My partner and I represented the “younger couples” as many others are engaged, married, or have been married for decades. Only having dated a little less than a year when we participated in this class, my partner and I gained insight from the more experienced couples in addition to the material that was being presented. The most helpful information for my partner and I reminded us to value and appreciate our partner and to consistently thank your partner for the little things they do each day. This class was a great aid in our relationship because it taught us how to handle issues before they arise, rather than waiting until they put too much stress on the relationship. Jaime was a wonderful, friendly, and relatable teacher who always kept us laughing, learning, and focused on bettering ourselves for our partners. My relationship with my partner is stronger than ever because of the tips we learned in class, and I would strongly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in bettering themselves and improving their communication to ensure a more positive, healthy relationship with their significant other."

A couple poses in front of a mountain

“The course really helped us develop better communication skills as a couple”

- Arun Jani, ELEVATE Alum

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"Going to the Elevate class helped my partner and me identify the strongest and weakest components of our relationship. The course really helped us develop better communication skills as a couple. We live a few hours apart and are busy graduate students, which has made it challenging to maintain a healthy level of communication in our relationship. The Elevate course motivated us to put in a daily routine of speaking by phone most evenings in addition to getting together on weekends.

The course curriculum was very well designed and helped us remain engaged and attentive during class. We learned from the instructor, course notebook, videos, in-class activities, and the experiences of other couples. We both really benefitted from the questions in the notebook as they helped us to identify problems or other aspects of our relationship that we want to improve.

We are confident that the skills we developed in the class will help us grow closer and achieve our future goals as a couple. We feel renewed in our commitment to communicate more effectively and build trust to make our love grow stronger.

We would definitely recommend this class to our friends and family who are seeking to enrich their own relationships. We believe a healthy relationship is the basis for forming a kind and supportive family, which in turn leads to a more kind and supportive society."

A couple poses for a photo in front of a lake

“It truly has set the foundation for a healthy relationship between the two of us”

- Jacqlyn Yourell, ELEVATE Alum

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"Brandon and I will use this information in our everyday life not only with each other but with our family, friends, and colleagues. The skills we learned are transferable to all relationships, and we will use the information to practice and improve throughout our lives. It truly has set the foundation for a healthy relationship between the two of us, and we are excited to see our relationship grow and strengthen because of the information and skills we learned."

A couple poses for a photo in a parlor

“We highly recommend this class to couples looking to enhance their communication ... ”

- Scotty Goodloe, ELEVATE Alum

Read the Full Review

"Brandon and I will use this information in our everyday life not only with each other but with our family, friends, and colleagues. The skills we learned are transferable to all relationships, and we will use the information to practice and improve throughout our lives. It truly has set the foundation for a healthy relationship between the two of us, and we are excited to see our relationship grow and strengthen because of the information and skills we learned."