Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. Is Professor of Pastoral Counseling at the School of Theology at Claremont, California (1977). He is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He is a licensed marriage, child and family counselor in the State of California. His personal website is http://members.aol.com/clinebellh/index.htm, and his email address is clinebellH@aol.com.
Growth Counselling for Marriage Enrichment was published in 1975 by Fortress Press, Philadelphia. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Richard and Sue Kendall.
SUMMARY
(ENTIRE BOOK) Dr. Clinebell provides practical suggestions and programs to make good marriages better, to turn crises into opportunities for growth, and to activate congregations of faith as communities of caring.
Chapters
- Chapter 1. Growth Counseling — A Human Potentials Approach
Clinebell introduces a human-potentials approach to counseling and enrichment called “growth counseling”, and relates it to the relationships and resources of the spiritual community.
- Chapter 2. The Intentional Marriage Method — A Basic Growth Tool
Basic to this entire book is the IMM (Intentional Marriage Method), a simple four-step tool that a couple can use intentionally to help make their marriage more mutually fulfilling. This chapter walks the reader through these steps and their implications.
- Chapter 3. Making Good Marriages Better
Marriage is looked upon here as a changing, developing process. Enrichment methods and short-term crisis methods can help improve relationships by developing hidden marriage assets.
- Chapter 4. Relationship-Building Tools
This chapter provides specific tools for use with enrichment groups and growth counseling. These include ways of developing skills in self-awareness, listening, self-affirmation, risking and trusting, increasing spiritual and physical intimacy, and coping constructively with conflict.
- Chapter 4. Relationship-Building Tools
This chapter provides specific tools for use with enrichment groups and growth counseling. These include ways of developing skills in self-awareness, listening, self-affirmation, risking and trusting, increasing spiritual and physical intimacy, and coping constructively with conflict.
- Chapter 5. Retreats and Groups
Activities, ingredients, and models for groups, retreats and workshops for marriage enrichment, and ways of recruiting persons for such groups.
- Chapter 6: Preparing for a Good Marriage
Dr. Clinebell outlines a growth-oriented preparation-for-marriage program as more appropriate and effective than problem-oriented pre-marital “counseling”. He describes how such a program provides personalized training and coaching in relationship-building skills.
- Chapter 7: Enriching a New Marriage
This chapter provides six models for marriage enrichment in the early years of marriage, and comments about teen marriages.
- Chapter 8: Helping Couples in Crisis
Dr. Clinebell gives guidance to the pastor and counselor for relating to and guiding couples in crisis.
- Chapter 9: A Growth-Centered Program for Your Church
This chapter provides guidance for Pastors and lay persons in the church as they plan and train leadership for intentional marriage programs.
- Annotated Bibliography