Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts Workbook for Women Updated: Seven Questions to Ask Before---and After---You Marry

My wife and I read through this before we got married and I’d suggest that all engaged couples do the same! It helped us talk about topics we have different views on that could’ve possibly been an argument later on. Perfect for engaged couples to get those “big topics” talked through!

My husband and I took a SYMBIS course at our church, and so we had to get this 3 part book, and I highly recommend it. Even if you're not doing it with a group of people or as a class, I highly recommend getting the 2 workbooks and the hard cover book that goes with it. If you are engaged or if you are in the first 2 years of marriage, these book really help you to connect, it helps you to have those conversations that might be uncomfortable, and it allows you to work through and assess how you might be feeling about certain things.

We are closed to getting married and my fiancé and I started attending a martial class in which they base their marital practices out of this book. I can say with confidence that it is helping us set goals and even boundaries for our future.

Very practical conversation guide for couples. We have used it and recommended it for years.

Very practical advice and information. My fiance each have our own book and workbook. Get the workbook. That's where the real growth takes place, whereas this gives information. I've done the first 20 or so activities in the workbook so far and only 1 of them was a waste of time. The information is not watered down at all. The chapters are all concise and worth the read. It includes chapters on listening, gender roles (and misconceptions), how to stay in love, etc. I would recommend this book because it is extremely practical, unlike other premarital books that are more vague. I am a Christian, and this book does not mention the bible very often. The writers are definitely believers, but they did not include a lot of biblical information in the book. I, for one, welcome that because I have already heard plenty of sermons on marriage. This was exactly what I wanted. Anyone can use this book, regardless of religion. The book is also meant for engaged and married alike. The information is useful regardless of relationship status

My fiance and I dated for 8 1/2 years before getting engaged. This book and workbook set were still very helpful to us. The exercises are easy to follow and helped us open up and discuss certain topics before the wedding. We have not lived together before the wedding, and it's been helpful to discuss some of the issues brought up in the book, if for no other reason than to affirm that we are making the right decision in getting married. I was also able to find the book (not the workbook) on audio, which was a HUGE help in motivating my fiance to do this series with me.

My fiance and I bought the book and two workbooks for our pre-marital counseling sessions with our pastor. These are great!! I loved the exercises in the workbook because even though I've been in counseling for years and consider myself "emotionally aware," these workbooks brought up some stuff that can easily get stuffed down/hidden during dating. The textbook is relevant and not cheesy or niave. The authors are real with you and don't spare your feelings. It's not written with these expectation that you're a perfect Christian, but in a "you're flawed, so is your spouse" kind of way. GREAT literature. It has helped us SO much already and I'm glad we have these workbooks with all of our notes to look back on when things get tough.

My wife and I read through the books and the study guide while we were engaged. SOOOOOO good!! Even if you aren't a Christian, the principles in communication are amazingly helpful. For us, as believers, perhaps even more so. I highly recommend it with the study guide. The exercises are really good to help you understand how the other person thinks, what's important to them, and to get a head start - from a married perspective anyway - on who the other person is. I haven't been married that long, but ask your other married friends - you may think you know all about the other person before you get married, but you learn a ton more once you're married. You also learn a lot about yourself. The reason this book and study guide are so good is they help you think through things & issues that are common in marriage, common differences between men and women, etc. And there are some great tools, like "Temperature Check". The book/guide go into more detail, but it provides a really beneficial communication tool to share things you like, don't like, don't understand, or would like to see changed. I'm making all of my future kids go through when they get engaged. I can't recommend it highly enough! If you're getting married, get it. If you are married and know you could use some communication help, get it. Cheers! :)