I love the the model of the endangered species. We were able to bring back the American Alligator from the brink of extinction, so the model is proven. I know relationships are not a species but it is a living thing that has aspects that are palpable. There are organizations that are constantly looking at what makes relationships work like there are for endangered species. Here are a few I recommend.
- The Marriage Preparation Course – I took one of these and highly recommend it. It puts tools in your toolbox that are invaluable in interpersonal communication and organizing two lives into one.
- Counselor Finder – Some research has shown that the majority people who went to premarital counseling were happier in their relationship twenty years later.
- Center For Disease Control Statistics and Data – A good place to browse for the tendencies of our culture.
- Pew Research Data on Marriage Trends – The Pew Research Foundation is one of the leaders for summarizing the state of marriage.
- Reader’s Digest Marriage Statistics – Reader’s Digest is one of my favorites for keeping information in context and professional.