Cost to Participate in the Course

Taking this course is one of many ways to step into the journey toward creating an eternal marriage relationship, something that requires commitment. This course invites you to commit time, effort, and money. We hope you can afford the cost of the course, as that helps cover the cost of the course platform and a small amount to the course facilitator for their service. However, we recognize that factors like being a student, currency exchange rates, or living on a limited income could make it difficult to afford the fee. We do not want financial difficulties to prevent registration. If you (or your family) cannot afford part or all of the fee, there are coupon codes available to reduce it. Please be specific with how much you can afford or how much discount you need. Contact Susanne Alexander, course administrator, at [email protected] with your request.

Course Description

Self-Directed Learning (No Live Sessions)

Individuals and early-stage couples not involved with a live course are invited to this online self-directed learning course to explore the practical application of the Bahá’í teachings for healthy relationships and marriage! Participants do not have to be Bahá’ís, but they may find it helpful to be familiar with the Bahá’í Faith (bahai.org). There will be no live elements to the course, but a faculty-mentor is available by email for questions that arise (see the Instructor section below). Your study will help you learn about yourself and what is important to discover in a partner. You will study the wisdom of being friends, explore your expectations, understand the importance of character, and learn ways to be in a healthy relationship that could lead to marriage.

Why Take This Course?

This course can guide you toward building a healthy, happy relationship that leads to marriage, and enhance your ability to succeed throughout the journey!

  • Learn about yourself and about the Baha'i Faith's teachings on relationship and marriage topics.

  • Learn new relationship skills.

  • Calibrate what to look for in a partner and how to get to know them, so that you can be intentional and purposeful in a relationship.

  • Empower conversations on these important topics with peers and family members.

  • Gain knowledge and skills that may assist those who wish to be involved with the Ruhi Institute's Book 12 on “Family and Community”, which is about families being involved in building the unity and strength of communities. Unit 1 of the book addresses “The Institution of Marriage”, and it includes some content about both marriage preparation and marriage.

Learning Goals

Personal study will aid you in learning about yourself and what is important to discover in a partner. You will study the wisdom of being friends, explore your expectations, understand the importance of character, and learn ways to be in a healthy relationship that could lead to marriage.

  • Prepare yourself for being in a relationship, with a focus on deepening your knowledge of your own self and character, building your capacity to know a partner's character, and understanding character as a vital part of successful relationships and marriages.

  • Understand friendship as a foundation element of couple relationships.

  • Explore and apply some of the Bahá’í Faith's teachings about choosing and spending time with a relationship partner.

  • Build your communication skills (sharing thoughts, listening, exploring personal application of the learning...) for relationships by studying/discussing with a group, interacting with your faculty-mentor, and posting to course discussions. Further enhance your skills by sharing your learning with others in your life and community.Learn about why it might be important to participate in marriage as a sacred institution and a “fortress for well-being”; gain confidence about moving in this direction.

Course Timing

Self-Study

You are encouraged to complete your study of this course in three months or less. However, the course materials are available to you after that time.

Course curriculum

    1. Course Orientation

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Tracking Your Action Commitments

    3. Processing the Content/Emotions; Counseling

    4. Contacting Your Facilitator-Mentor

    5. Frequently Asked Questions

    6. Change Notes for the Course

    1. Unit 1: Learning Goals; Study the Topic

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Unit 1: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings

    3. Unit 1: Activities

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Unit 1 Activity: “Building a ‘Fortress for Well-being’, an Essay on Marriage Preparation” (PDF)

    5. Unit 1 Activity: PrepSheet 3 PDF-Assessing and Understanding My Virtues

    6. Unit 1 Activity: PrepSheet 4 PDF-My Virtue Development Plan

    7. Unit 1: Videos

    8. Unit 1: Questions: Individual Reflection and Consultation

      FREE PREVIEW

    9. Unit 1: Optional Extra Reading

    10. Unit 1 Optional: Do You Have a Tail? Essay (PDF)

    1. Unit 2: Learning Goals; Study the Topic

    2. Unit 2: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings

    3. Unit 2: Activities

    4. Unit 2 Activity: Seek and Avoid in a Partner

    5. Unit 2: Videos and Podcast

    6. Unit 2: Questions: Individual Reflection and Consultation

    7. Unit 2: Optional Extra Reading

    8. Unit 2 Optional: Buffalo Wing Principle Essay (PDF)

    1. Unit 3: Learning Goals; Study the Topic

    2. Unit 3: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings

    3. Unit 3: Activities

    4. Unit 3 Activity: Happiness, Joy, Laughter, and Humor (PDF)

    5. Unit 3: Videos

    6. Unit 3: Questions: Individual Reflection and Consultation

    7. Unit 3: Optional Extra Reading

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. Unit 4: Learning Goals; Study the Topic

    2. Unit 4: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings

    3. Unit 4: Social Transformation-Standard of Purity (PDF)

    4. Marriage Talk (Marriage Tablet)

    5. Unit 4: Activities

    6. Unit 4: Videos

    7. Unit 4: Questions: Individual Reflection and Consultation

    8. Unit 4: Optional Extra Reading

    9. Unit 4 Optional: Being a Cross-Cultural Couple Essay (PDF)

    10. Unit 4 Optional: Intercultural Maturity Essay (PDF)

    1. Unit 5A: Learning Goals; Study the Topic (Relationship with Parents)

    2. Unit 5A: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings (Relationship with Parents)

    3. Unit 5B: Study the Topic (Parental Consent)

    4. Unit 5B: Diving into the Bahá’í Teachings (Parental Consent)

    5. Unit 5: Activities

    6. Unit 5: Videos

      FREE PREVIEW

    7. Unit 5: Questions: Individual Reflection and Consultation

    8. Unit 5: Optional Extra Reading

About this course

  • $52.50
  • 71 lessons
  • 0 hours of video content

Instructor(s)

Lolita Schmalenberg

Facilitator

Lolita Schmalenberg is a registered social worker and psychotherapist. Originally from Canada, Lolita currently practices in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Hong Kong. She has completed two post-graduate certifications in Trauma Counselling and Sexual Health & Rehabilitation. Lolita works with adults, couples, and families. She brings a collaborative, developmental, anti-oppressive, and wellness perspective to her practice. She supports those who are battling issues in culture, oppression and diversity inclusion, immigration, anxiety, self-harm, gender identity, marriage, and family counseling, and parenting. Working with victims of sexual assault and childhood trauma are Lolita’s areas of speciality. Lolita works from an integrative framework, and she utilises evidence-based therapeutic approaches to meet the clients’ needs. Together with her husband and four children, Lolita was a pioneer for the Bahá’í Faith in China for 25 years and one year in Central America. She was raised in a Bahá’í family and has been an active member of the Faith all her life. www.lolitaschmalenberg.com [email protected]

Instructor(s)

Susanne M. Alexander

Relationship and Marriage Educator and Coach; Course Developer and Administrator

Hi, I’m Susanne M. Alexander, your course creator and companion on this learning journey. While I am a Relationship and Marriage Educator and Coach, I’ve also had a lot of experience. I’ve likely walked in your shoes. I’ve been single, dating, engaged, married, divorced, and widowed (currently married). I am a child, stepchild, sibling, step-sibling, parent, step-parent, grandparent, and step-grandparent. All of this has given me a diversity of experience to share! I meet with clients globally via the Internet for relationship preparation and navigating, marriage preparation, and couple relationship or marriage strengthening. I coordinate the faculty team and am the lead instructor here at Transformation Learning Center (www.transformationlearningcenter.com). My company is Marriage Transformation®, www.marriagetransformation.com, where I am President and also the author and publisher of numerous books. Books authored or coauthored include Couple Vitality, Creating Excellent Relationships, All-in-One Marriage Prep, Marriage Can Be Forever--Preparation Counts!, and Re-Vitalizing Our Marriage. I am certified by Prepare-Enrich to offer a research-based assessment to couples at any stage and accompany them through learning about themselves and their readiness for the next stage in their relationship (www.prepare-enrich.com) I'm also certified to offer the Character Foundations Assessment and have Completed Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I'm a member of the National Alliance for Relationship and Marriage Education. Media and Writing Experience: Quoted as an expert in Upjourney.com, HerCampus.com, eHow.com, Washington Woman, Ladies Home Journal, Inc., and more. I'm also a journalist with a background in freelancing for Newsweek, SimpleMarriage, and many others. I have been creating and offering online relationship and marriage courses for over 10 years.