Overview
- The “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Half Price Workshop – Summary
- Who Typically Attends a “How to Have a Happy marriage” Online Workshop?
- What Can You Expect from Our Online Couples Workshop?
- Workshop Outline
- Workshop Details
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Half Price Online Couples Workshop – How Does it Work?
- Payment and Cancellation Policy
- To Contact us
1. The “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Half Price Workshop – Summary
I try to make coming to see me as affordable as possible. So, I have set my evening fee at $250.00 an hour which is very much on the low side for someone with my experience and expertise. Even so, some couples don’t have insurance, or simply cannot afford to come and see me while others don’t have enough insurance to cover the full cost.
For those couples I have designed the “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Half Price Online Couples Workshop.
For $125.00 an hour, as opposed to the normal cost of $250.00 an hour (for evenings), you can attend a six week 12-hour Zoom workshop personally designed and conducted by Gary.
In other words, instead of $500.00, the cost will be $250.00 for the two-hour evening workshop.
And if you have Health Insurance, your costs, will be covered by your premium.
The workshop is based on my 360-page book, “How to Have a Happy Marriage” The Art and Science of Marital Happiness.
It should be noted that the workshop provides complete privacy for participants. If you do not want to see or engage with other couples, you have the option of working exclusively with Gary such that none of the other partipating couples will ever see you or know that you are even attending the workshop.
2. Who Typically Attends a “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Online Workshop?
Couples who:
- Might not be able to afford my full fee.
- Do not have Third Party Health Insurance.
- Have Third Party Health Insurance, but not enough to cover the full cost for counselling.
- Are not sure they want to make such a significant financial investment.
- Are dubious as to the value of marriage counselling.
Gary has designed this workshop for couples who:
- Have had enough; totally ready to end it.
- Have had enough; I am this far from ending it.
- Persistent conflicts and power struggles
- Lack of meaningful communication
- Distancing and disconnection
- Loss of passion and sexual intimacy
- Infidelity and issues of trust
- Differing parenting styles
- Integrating blended families
3. What Can You Expect from Our Online Couples Workshop?
The Half Price “How to Have a Happy Marriage” online (small-group – 6 to 8 couples) workshop is a series of two-hour sessions over the course of six weeks, every Wednesday night from 7:00 to 9:00PM.
The “How to Have a Happy Marriage” workshop promises the same benefits and takeaways that you would have by attending our individual couple’s sessions, only at half the price.
Based upon Dr. Burge’s five decades of experience and expertise (30,000 hours of counselling couples and 93% success rate), his 23 books on personal and professional development, his doctoral dissertation on marriage conflict, this workshop will help you finally get the happy life and happy marriage you want and need.
Our singular goal is for you to have a happy life by virtue of a happy marriage.
In the research portion of his 550-page Doctoral Dissertation on how to have a happy marriage, Gary studied all the longitudinal marital research from 1938 (the first major study on marital satisfaction) to 1995. There had been 115 studies (45,000 couples) during that period of time (1938 – 1995).
As it turns out, the four therapies that Gary has used over the course of the last 40 years, are the four most potent therapies during that period of time.
So, rather than psycho-babble or psychological mumble-jumble, we will use the four therapies that science says are the best four therapies we could possibly use to restore and to heal your marriage.
And remember, 93% of those couples who have worked with Gary have attained marriage happiness in 6 weeks.
Yes, these workshop sessions are covered by all third-party insurance programs.
Please Note: This is a live online event. To attend, you will need a reliable internet connection.
4. Workshop Outline
Almost everybody remembers the “moment” they fell in love. It was wonderful; surely it would last forever. But all too often, as the years drift slowly by, that magical feeling gives way to doubt, confusion and finally despair, anger and betrayal.
How is it that marriage, which is universally approached with such optimism, leads so frequently to conflict and disillusionment? Nearly 55% of all first marriages end in separation or divorce and subsequent remarriages are even more likely to end (60%).
For 20 years I worked in a private practice at a major hospital in Toronto with over 100 physicians who referred patients to me with very troubled marriages; 93% of these couples were able to restore their marriages, usually in 6 weeks or less.
The question of course is, how did they do that? An even better question is, how can you do that? “How to Have a Great Marriage” answers that question. It is the compilation of my 45 years as a marriage therapist and details how more than such a significant number of couples were able to save their marriages.
In “How to Have a Great Marriage” you will discover and learn:
1. The four insights that science tells us will produce a deeply satisfying and stable marriage.
2. How to develop a practical, life-long and enduring basis for a happy and fulfilling marriage.
3. How to get your spouse to like you better than you like you.
4. How to break the blame-game forever.
5. How to get your spouse to listen to you.
6. How to recover the lost affection in your marriage.
7. How to replace resentment and frustration with satisfaction and joy.
8. How to turn “nagging and distancing” into “understanding and respect.”
9. The one and only law to marital happiness.
5. Workshop Details
The workshop runs from 7:00 – 9:00 Eastern Standard Time every Wednesday night for six weeks.
Gary will email you regular updates as to the status of the registration process.
- Zoom Installer: Before the event, please download the latest version of the Zoom software.
- Recommendations: We recommend using a PC or Laptop to view the workshop.
- Some features may not work correctly when using Mobile or Tablet devices
- Note: The webinar room will open 15 mins before start time
- No public discussion or disclosure is involved.
- All work is done as a couple. Gary will be available to support individual conversations during exercises.
- There is no group work, and no mandatory sharing.
Please note the price listed is per couple. You will receive a confirmation email immediately after submitting payment.
A week prior to the workshop, a member of our staff will contact you to finalize your registration and answer any questions you may have about the workshop.
There will be ample time throughout the workshop for Q & A time with Gary.
During the personal exercise times Gary will be available to work with you in private breakout rooms.
Of course, you should be concerned about confidentiality, privacy, discretion or dignity. If so, you can use the confidential chat system on Zoom or email your concerns or questions from your experience of the last week or general questions to Gary at least one day beforehand.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
1. How effective is the workshop?
The “How to Have a Great Marriage” therapeutic process has been shown to achieve results similar to those of 6 months of marital therapy and 93% of workshop attendees have reported positive results after attending this groundbreaking marital seminar.
2. Will Gary personally be conducting the workshop?
Yes.
3. Who attends the workshops?
Couples of all ages, incomes, races, nationalities, professions, religions, abilities, and orientations attend this workshop. Couples attend who already have a strong, healthy relationship, and couples attend to repair relationship damage and get back on track. Parents sometimes attend who have decided to end their relationship but want to do so in a way that doesn’t negatively impact their children and receive skills to become healthy co-parents moving forward. We welcome all couples who want to work on making their relationship stronger.
4. Can we attend the workshop even if we aren’t married?
We strongly encourage all couples in committed relationships to attend, whether you are dating, engaged and seeking premarital preparation, not married and living together, or committed to a potentially life-long relationship but don’t plan to get married—this workshop is for you!
5. Is this workshop appropriate for premarital couples?
Yes. We recommend attending the workshop as premarital preparation.
6. Is the cost per person or per couple?
Per Couple.
7. Can I give the couples workshop as a gift to someone else?
Yes. Gift certificates are available upon request.
8. Can I come to the workshop alone if I can’t convince my partner to attend?
Sorry, no. Our workshops are specifically designed to be interactive and experiential for couples only.
9. I’d love to attend but my partner is a private person and is not comfortable sharing in a group setting.
No problem. All exercises are conducted in private between spouses. Gary is also available to work one-on-one with couples who desire support and assistance during exercises. There is no group work, and no mandatory sharing.
10. Is there public disclosure?
No. Couples attend through Zoom and couples will not be asked to publicly participate in any exercises in front of the audience, nor will any of your exercises be publicly disclosed in any way, shape or form.
11. Will we be left on our own or will we receive assistance?
Because of the small size of the group, Gary will be available to personally assist you in your individual break-out room.
12. Are we appropriate for your workshop if we don’t have any really huge problems?
Yes. Couples who attend our workshop tend to fall into two categories: enhancement and repair. We applaud couples who are wise enough to attend the workshop for enhancement purposes. Our brains are more open to new learning when we are not stressed out, and our workshop is designed with plenty of humor and romance, so enhancement couples have a terrific time while learning. Feedback from both enhancement and repair couples indicates that the couples workshop is very beneficial.
13. Would it make sense for us to attend your workshop if we are already separated or in the process of divorce?
Sometimes. While each situation is unique, we do have many couples attend the workshop who are separated or have begun divorce proceedings. These couples continue to report that the workshop was very helpful to them. We will discuss the specifics of your situation with you during the registration process to see if it is appropriate for you.
14. Should I do anything to prepare?
There are no prerequisites to attending the couples workshop.
15. Can I bring my newborn or small children?
No. We recognize that newborns spend a lot of time sleeping, and it is difficult to be away from them during the first couples months. However, you will not be able to focus entirely on your relationship and it can be a distraction for other couples.
16. Why don’t or can’t you offer a sliding scale for couples with couples who can’t afford your standard fee.
Truth be told, I have a prolific practice. Currently, I am seeing close close to 50 couples a week. I don’t know of another marriage therapist who sees anywhere close to that number of clients on a weekly basis. On top of that, I have a lengthy waiting list of couples who are willing to pay my regular fee, so a sliding scale is not very practical (from a business perspective). I do feel badly for couples who could use my services but don’t have the necessary funds. That is why I offer the Half Price Workshop – to accommodate couples who simply can’t afford my normal fee. The workshop is a terrific experience. Couples love it. Honestly, you should give it a try.
17. How many couples usually attend?
It varies, but usually anywhere from 6 – 8 couples attend.
7. The “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Half Price Online Couples Workshop – How Does it Work?
The “How to Have a Happy Marriage” Half Price offers a balance of Gary teaching plus one-to-one activities that will focus on just the two of you.
You’ll attend by Zoom from the comfort of your own home.
You will complete all personal couple activities during the workshop in private, together with your partner, after which you will be invited to rejoin the group to share with the other participants what you have learned. (Disclosure is always optional.)
The workshop will be preceded (at least one week beforehand) by an one-hour individual (Zoom) session for just the two of you with Gary to make sure he has a deep enough grasp as to your challenges and concerns so that he can tailor the sessions to your individual needs in each workshop.
8. Payment
You can send an etransfer to garyburge@sympatico.ca or use your credit card (Visa or master Card).
Payment for the total cost of $1,695.00 of the workshop (12 X $125.00 plus HST) is divided into four installments of $424.00 :
- When you register
- Two weeks prior to the workshop
- Two days prior to the workshop
- Halfway through the 6 sessions (Session number four).
A receipt for health insurance will be sent to you within 24 hours of our having received the each of the four payments of $424.00.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel 15 or more days prior to a virtual workshop, you will receive a full refund for the amount you have paid, less a $50.00 processing fee.
If you cancel less that 15 days prior to the workshop, we will not be able to issue a refund, unless you cancel for medical or family emergency reasons.
In the event that a workshop for which you have registered is cancelled for any reason, you will be given a full refund of the amount you have paid.
You can also choose instead to apply this amount towards a future online workshop.
To Contact Us
Call us now at 905-893-2463 or send me an email at garyburge@sympatico.ca
Gary “Buddy” Burge Ph.D.
The Marriage Therapist
96 Hedgerow Lane
Kleinburg, Ontario
L0J 1C0
905-893-2463
garyburge@sympatico.ca
www.themarriagetherapist.ca