PAIRS Inbox: Frequently Asked Questions

Tens of thousands of people reach out to PAIRS Foundation each month through the pairs.com website and articles posted on FatherhoodChannel.com, one of the Internet’s fastest growing and most popular sites for news, tips and resources for parenting, family, and marriage education. This week, we’ll begin posting messages from our Inbox that represent some of the most Frequently Asked Questions along with brief answers and contact information to learn more. We’ll add new items to the our “Inbox” regularly.

You can also find additional Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on the PAIRS website.

I am interested in learning more about the content of your program and the courses offered in British Columbia.  A friend suggested I check it out. I have a degree in Social Work and I would like to get into family counseling.

You can find a directory of PAIRS trained professionals and a list of classes open to the public online at consumer.pairs.com. PAIRS training will strengthen your work as a family counselor and also prepare you to teach evidence-based relationship skills and marriage education classes in your community. PAIRS Foundation offers five levels of training. The first level includes 32 hours of immersion in PAIRS most popular research-validated programs such as PAIRS Essentials (9 hours) and PAIRS for Life (12 hours), theory, best practices, classroom facilitation skills, and ethical practices. For information on upcoming certification trainings, e-mail info@pairs.com or call (877) 724-7748 x80.

I’m looking for a premarital program. I was hoping for something ongoing not just a one-day session. Does PAIRS offer anything like that?

PAIRS programs range from one-day to a semester-long Mastery Course which many consider the most important investment a couple can make in their marriage and family. Unfortunately, few people have the time and resources to participate in a semester-long course, which has meant that the full Mastery program is taught by only a handful of PAIRS Master Teachers in a small number of communities. PAIRS brief, evidence-based programs such as PAIRS Essentials and PAIRS for Life are taught as one-day, weekend, and multi-week seminars throughout the country and online. It’s important to recognize that PAIRS is not marriage counseling or therapy. PAIRS is skills training that teaches singles and couples a range of practical, proven skills for improving communication, emotional understanding, and conflict resolution. While longer programs offer more support for practicing and integrating the skills within a classroom setting, the most important work in PAIRS is taking the skills you learn in the program and using them in your life outside of the PAIRS class.

Do you have any employment opportunities with your organization?  What is the procedure to become a trainer?

PAIRS is not currently hiring, although we’re happy to review your resume and consider you for a future position. You can e-mail a cover letter and resume to jobs@pairs.com if you’d like our HR Department to keep you in mind.

Almost all of the instructors trained to lead PAIRS classes are independent practitioners who offer classes through local community and faith-based organizations, private practices, and other behavioral health programs. Becoming trained to lead PAIRS classes requires successfully completing PAIRS Level One training, a 32-hour professional development program that includes immersion in our brief curriculum, along with best practices, theory, classroom facilitation skills and ethical standards. For information on upcoming certification trainings, e-mail info@pairs.com or call (877) 724-7748 x80.

Do you do your classes by phone or SKYPE? Or are there intensives? We live in Northern California and there are no PAIRS classes near us.

PAIRS Intensives are offered in California through our partnership with the California Healthy Marriage Coalition. You can find a schedule and contact information for upcoming classes at camarriage.com. PAIRS Foundation offers the full PAIRS Essentials class online every six to eight weeks. For upcoming dates, see consumer.pairs.com, e-mail info@pairs.com, or call (877) 724-7748 x80. Many PAIRS Instructors offer weekend intensives. Those that are open to the public are often listed in the online calendar.

Are there any programs in the NYC/Long Island area?

PAIRS has trained many instructors throughout New York who primarily provide classes through faith-based organizations. Please check our calendar and directory at consumer.pairs.com or e-mail info@pairs.com for more information.

We live in remote rural Utah.  Is there a way to purchase your basic materials and exercises in PDF or print?  With e-mail contact?  One of us took a three-day training with you about ten years, thinks very highly of the course, and would like very much to share with this current partner.

If it’s not possible to travel for a weekend PAIRS Essentials class, we suggest participating in an upcoming webinar. You can preview the participant materials from the course at this link. You’ll also find many articles about the skills taught in PAIRS at FatherhoodChannel.com. While it can be valuable to read articles such as the Thanksgiving Family Survival Guide and review the course workbook, you’ll miss out on the experiential process that is vital to discovering what’s possible for you and your relationship. We often compare it to reading about swimming. Without getting in the water by participating in an actual class, it’s not the same.

Last year I attended the PAIRS workshops when I was at a different school.  Is there anyway my new school can get PAIRS in the form of a grant?

For the past five years, PAIRS has provided free classes for South Florida high school students, teachers, and parents as part of the Healthy Marriage Demonstration Project grant-funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.  If you’d like to propose your school for services this year, e-mail your request to info@pairs.com, including a brief description of the school, community, and how PAIRS can best contribute to more successful students, a safer school, and a stronger community.

Hi, I was told about your program through a family member, and I am very interested in possibly enrolling with my fiance.  My only concern, however, is that he is currently in Afghanistan and will not be returning until July.  I saw on your website that you have classes available to returning soldiers and their families, in addition to the standard classes (both of which I would like to take).  Will you continue to offer either of these classes in the Northern Virginia region? Thank you and have a lovely day.

PAIRS retreats for military and veterans before and after deployment have been widely recognized for their positive contribution to families who have sacrificed much in service to our country. Weekend retreats are offered regularly by VA Chaplains and behavioral health specialists at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia and the San Diego VA Health Care System in San Diego. Nearly 100 other VA leaders have been trained to deliver PAIRS classes in communities across the country. I suggest contacting Chaplain Ron Craddock for information about participating in one of their retreats. PAIRS general classes can also be helpful, although they are not funded by the VA. There are several excellent instructors in the Northern Virginia area who offer classes throughout the year that are listed at consumer.pairs.com when they become open for registration.

I’m interested in an upcoming class in Alexandria, VA. How can we learn more about costs, location, hours, and how to enroll?

Each listing on our online calendar includes contact information for the instructor. You should call or e-mail the instructor directly for more information. If you need further assistance, please call our office at (877) 724-7748 x80.

I need help. My husband may be bi-sexual. While I was out of town, he invited a man to our home. Please help me save our marriage.

PAIRS provides skills training that can help you and your husband make it safe to confide in each other, better understand each of your emotional experiences, and negotiate differences. As an educational program, PAIRS doesn’t get involved in the unique issues couples or individuals bring to the class beyond helping participants learn skills to communicate with empathy for each other, safely release emotional intensity, and figure out with each other how you’ll address challenges in your relationship today and in the future. Any upcoming PAIRS class or webinar can help you begin the process. Many graduates have said PAIRS was like learning to be their own counselors and therapists.

I ‘m try to sell a trip to somebody . What is the best time of the year to visit France, something to do there, and the best hotel? I’d like something near the center where I can walk and go sightseeing. Please email me back.

We suspect you’ve reached the wrong organization. We’re “PAIRS,” which stands for “Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills,” not “PARIS”.