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When you register, you will receive choices for which discussion group to join. When you register, you also have access to start studying the content!

Nava and Kian Jones Invite You to the Course!

New Facilitators from Australia!

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 coordinator and group facilitators 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. Note: If you took this course in January 2025, and you want to take it again, you are eligible for a coupon for a 75% discount. Contact Susanne Alexander, course administrator, at [email protected] with your request.

Course Description and Schedule

ONLY for 18-39 years old individuals (or couples)

Individuals 18-39 years old are invited to this online study group course to explore the practical application of the Bahá’í teachings for healthy relationships and marriage! Course opens March 24, 2025, and it ends about May 11, 2025. As the course begins, all participants will be in a group, each with two facilitators. The groups will meet weekly on days and times agreed on by the group and the facilitators. Participants do self-directed study of the course content (documents, videos, worksheets...) on their own prior to each group session to be ready for the discussions. The facilitators are here to serve you and assist you with things such as setting goals, answering questions related to your circumstances, and encouraging you. Personal study and group meetings will aid you in learning about yourself, what is important to discover in a partner, and how to create a healthy relationship. Participants may find it helpful to be familiar with the Bahá’í Faith (bahai.org).

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

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

  • Discover

    Discover new friends, meet like-minded individuals, and learn new relationship skills.

  • Empower

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

  • Calibrate

    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.

  • Gain Knowledge and Skills

    Service: Gain knowledge and skills that may connect with or build on the learning in Ruhi Institute's Book 12 on “Family and Community” and “The Institution of Marriage”. Be more empowered with answering questions from junior youth about relationships.

Course curriculum

    1. Please Introduce Yourself!

    2. Course Orientation

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Group Meeting Information-Ensure you are in a group by March 28!!

    4. Join the WhatsApp Community!

    5. Discussions-All Learners-Optional Readings (Optional Attendance)

    6. Processing the Content/Emotions; Counseling

    7. Frequently Asked Questions

    8. 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, Discussion Postings, and Group 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, Discussion Postings, and Group 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, Discussion Postings, and Group Consultation

    7. Unit 3: Optional Extra Reading

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. Please share your thoughts and experiences; Anything we can assist with?

    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 Tablet (attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha)

    5. Unit 4: Activities

    6. Unit 4: Videos

    7. Unit 4: Questions: Individual Reflection, Forum Postings, and Group 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)

    11. Unit 4 Optional: Navigating Sex and Chastity (PDF)

About this course

  • $70.00
  • 75 lessons
  • 0 hours of video content

From Our Learners!

“I'm really enjoying the course. The various materials are informative and rich, though not too overwhelming; it seems to be the right amount for me. The discussions in course are also great and leave me reflecting on many things. Overall, I'm glad to be in this course. It's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.”

Amir S.

“A loving space to reflect on the essence of what it means to be in a relationship. What a joy it was to connect with different souls with like-minded intentions of creating healthy relationships in their lives.”

Participant in January 2025 Course

“I really felt that I expanded my understanding of myself and healthy relationship-building processes through this course. The breadth and depth of the information we studied, and the opportunity for new connections via the group really was a glimmer of joy and hope when sometimes finding a partner feels so difficult. And while growth also is challenging, I feel important questions were raised that we had the opportunity to tackle in a loving group.”

Participant in January 2025 Course

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.

Instructor(s)

Wendi Momen

Coordinator

Hi, I’m Wendi Momen, a social activist and a champion of the equal rights and responsibilities of women and men. I’ve been married since 1971 and have two adult children and two adult grandchildren. I grew up in a family of entertainers in the San Fernando Valley, California, and moved by myself to England when I was 18. I had a step-father and two step-mothers, and have a step-sister and two half sisters. Our extended family embraces 26 nationalities and 8 religions. The diversity of our family has given me insights into a number of cultures and ethnicities, has convinced me that humanity is just one big family, living on one planet. I served as a criminal magistrate, a family court judge and youth court magistrate for 38 years, which gave me insights into the dynamics of marriages and families when they are unhealthy and often dangerous to their children. This caused me to concentrate on how to enable marriages and families to embrace healthier patterns of life. I have taught numerous online courses on marriage and family life, am the author of 13 books, and sit on a number of boards that champion women, human rights and the planet, including the National Alliance of Women’s Organisations, Widows Rights International, UK Civil Society Women’s Alliance, Ethical Business Building the Future and the International Environment Forum (iefworld.org). I hold a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics, of which I am a Governor Emeritus. I was honoured to be awarded a MBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2014 for services to the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and to the community in Bedfordshire.

Instructor(s)

Nava and Kian Jones

Facilitators

Hello! We’re Nava and Kian, a married couple living in Sydney, Australia. Nava is a professional musical theatre performer and law (Juris Doctor) student. Kian works in marketing at a multinational consultancy firm. In 2024, we started “That Married Couple Podcast”, as a way of contributing toward the discourse around relationships, with the goal of providing impetus for listeners to have their own discussions, consider varying perspectives, and ultimately have a clearer vision of how they wish to conduct their relationships. The podcast blends listener questions with insights from science and psychology, Baha’i and religious principles, other couples, and expert guest perspectives. As we got to know each other before marriage, we attended an earlier version of the Foundations for Relationships course. It had a transformative effect on our lives personally and gave us foundational knowledge to accompany others in navigating their relationships. We are so excited to now be involved in facilitating this course and to continue learning alongside the wonderful participants.

Instructor(s)

Fiona McDonald

Facilitator

Hi there, I live in Western Australia and will be facilitating the Australian group along with Nava and Kian Jones. I have been married for 50 years and have several children and grandchildren. I have a background in Relationship Education, having spent about 25 years working in two agencies offering various courses such as pre-marriage education, couples courses, parenting, and individual courses such as self-worth and anger management. I look forward to taking this journey with the group!

Instructor(s)

Jackie Najafian

Facilitator

Jackie Najafian is a Solution-Focused Therapist and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in North Carolina in the United States. She works with couples in need in most areas; marriage issues during and after an affair, family issues, work balance, childhood trauma, depression, anxiety…. She is married and has two adult children. +1.704-576-4935 [email protected]

Instructor(s)

Hadrien Toure

Facilitator

Hadrien Toure is a husband, father and relationship coach & educator based out of Weston, Florida, United States. His approach centers on empowering individuals and couples to embrace transformative values and virtues, facilitating profound personal growth and healing. Through tailored methods, Hadrien (known as Coach Adrian on his online coaching platforms) supports individuals and couples in transforming their relationships into a resilient and enduring bond, fostering the creation of a shared life vision specific to their unique connection. Over the last 10 years Hadrien has had the privilege of positively impacting the lives of countless individuals globally, assisting numerous couples to rebuild faltering relationships and nurturing healthy love across different cultures and geographic locations. Hadrien also finds great joy in serving his community alongside his family both as an Animator for Junior Youth in a nearby neighborhood, and also as a tutor for young people. Learning about the transformative impact of the Training Institute on individuals and community life has been a focus of his service over the past few years.

Instructor(s)

Roya Massarrat

Facilitator

Roya Massarrat lives and works in Spain as a licensed psychologist and psychotherapist with Masters degrees in systemic family therapy and in couple mediation. She was born in Iran and came to Spain with her family as pioneers in 1972. She has also lived in China. She speaks English, Spanish, Catalan, and Farsí. Roya offers deep psychotherapy for clients who have experienced mistreatment and abuse, as well as support for couples facing conflict and challenges. She specializes in humanistic integrative psychology and trauma processing, with advanced training in Brainspotting, a neurophysiological approach that leverages the brain's natural healing abilities to address trauma. She works with individuals related to stress, depression, alcohol abuse, sexual disorders, phobias, anxiety, compulsive behavior, grief, personality disorders, and eating disorders. As a marriage consultant for the National Spiritual Assembly of Spain, she also leads workshops for Bahá’í communities on topics such as marriage, communication, consultation, parenting, and education. She has a young adult son and daughter. +34-619989289 [email protected] www.consulterapia.com

Instructor(s)

Sahba Sanai

Facilitator

I’ve always been interested in understanding what makes a relationship thrive. This interest grew significantly in my early 20s, after witnessing three couples that I knew divorce shortly after marrying. It struck me that none of them had set out expecting their marriages to end — they believed in their ability to make it work — yet something still went wrong. This realisation led me to question whether I, too, might face similar challenges someday. Around that time, someone said to me, “People spend more time preparing for their wedding than for their marriage.” That simple statement rang very true and inspired me to take an unconventional step: I sought out a relationship therapist — even though I was single at the time! That experience was very positive. I decided to dive deeper into the topic of committed relationships. I interviewed therapists, talked to both successful and divorced couples, read extensively, and eventually wrote a book to share what I learned. While the book was a commercial failure, it turned out to be life-changing in a way I could never have predicted—one of the few people who bought it later became my wife! Although my professional background is in engineering, and I work as a project manager, my passion for understanding and fostering healthy relationships has been a big part of my life. I’m excited to continue exploring, learning, and sharing - and I hope to inspire others to invest in building strong, lasting connections.

Instructor(s)

Ana Maria Pavon Marin

Facilitator

Ana Maria Pavon Marin is a seasoned professional in counseling, mediation, and law across Spain and Canada, focusing on multicultural relationships, trauma, and resilience. During over 30 years of dedicated work with immigrants, refugees, and vulnerable populations, Ana Maria has also served and serves on various Bahá’í institutions and is actively engaged in community-building efforts. She holds master's degrees in mediation and counseling psychology, coupled with expertise in human rights law and faculty positions at the University of Valencia. Currently, Ana Maria serves as a senior registered clinical counselor, supervisor, and trainer with non-profit organizations while maintaining a private practice. Her specialties include working with individuals, couples, and families experiencing multicultural issues and trauma. She is active in interfaith dialogue and serves on several boards of non-profits promoting peace, inclusion, and social justice.