InStep Services
Marriage and Remarriage Preparation
Pre-marital counseling
A strong faith in God is essential for marital success. Preparing for marriage is important. Unfortunately, some couples spend more time planning their wedding than they do preparing for their marriage. Our premarital sessions discuss such issues as covenant, faith, expectations, commitment, finances, communication and problem solving. Prepare© and other assessments are utilized.
Remarriage preparation and counseling
Remarriage is uniquely different from first-time marriage. Complex challenges confront those who choose to remarry. The first few years of stepfamily life, for example, are extremely turbulent. Children predate the couple relationship. It takes four to seven years for a new stepfamily to look and function like a family.
We offer comprehensive remarriage preparation through our Second Chances program. This includes up to ten sessions (more if needed) with you and your future spouse and the children. Sessions with former spouses or extended family could also be included and can be very valuable. The program includes a series of assessments, including PrepareMC©. This is the most compressive pre-remarriage program available.
Second Chances Program
• Provides practical, effective tools in areas such as communication and conflict resolution.
• Helps couples identify and challenge unresolved issues, unrealistic expectations and inaccurate information that can sabotage a new marriage.
• Offers Biblical solutions and practical, relevant information about the unique challenges of remarriage and stepfamily life.
• Helps develop a workable stepparent role.
• Addresses the needs and issues of children.
• Provides a number of assessments, including Prepare©.
Scheduling an appointment
Call 1-888-5INSTEP for details. Phone consultations are available. Commit now to prepare well for a marriage that won’t just survive, but thrive.
Seminars and Workshops
We can tailor-make a seminar to your congregation’s specific needs. Simply choose a topic (s) and a seminar length. Fees are based on expenses plus donation.
Seminars on Relevant Single, Single Parent and Stepfamily Topics
Remarriage
• Looking Before You Leap...Again: Remarriage Readiness Principles
• Preparing for Remarriage
• Healing Emotional Wounds
• Preparing Children for Remarriage
• Communication and Problem Solving
Stepfamilies
• How to Succeed as a Stepfamily
• Landmines-the challenges of stepparenting
• " The Good-Enough Solution"-how to solve problems effectively
• Characteristics of a Healthy Stepfamily
• Communication-how to talk to the strangers in your house
• The Five "Hot Buttons" in stepfamilies
• Expectations--the "shoulds" you never mentioned to your spouse
• Step-grandparenting
Singles/ Single Parents
• Healing Life’s Hurts
• Successful Single Parenting
• Through a Child’s Eyes: Helping Children Adjust to Divorce and Remarriage
• "Loving From Afar" --the challenges of being a non-custodial parent
• How to Become a Healthy Single
• Developing Healthy Relationships
• Healthy Dating
• Dealing with Depression
• Boundaries
Seminar choices:
• All day
• Four hour
• Friday Evening-Saturday (four hour or all-day)
• Sunday
Training Workshops for Pastors and Leaders
Training: We are available to equip, train and coach your staff or leaders. We also provide ongoing training and support for all our resources.
Resources: We provide training materials, needs assessment, curriculum, program design and evaluation, and a ministry development plan that fits the mission and core values of your local church or ministry.
• New: Certification Training in Single-Parent/Stepfamily Ministry
• Theology of Divorce and Remarriage
• Team Building
• Developing a Stepfamily Ministry
• Understanding and Reaching Today’s Families
• Non-Traditional Family Continuum of Care
• Preparing Couples for Remarriage
• Starting and Leading a Stepfamily (Life) Support Group
• Understanding the Needs of Single Parents
• Mentoring
• Children and Divorce
• Counseling Stepfamilies
• The Unique Needs and Challenges of Stepfamilies
• Emotional Woundedness
• Building Healthy Marriages
Stepfamily Ministry Network
To better serve the non-traditional families in our communities, InStep is organizing a network of stepfamily and/or single-parent ministries. If you have an ongoing ministry at your church or would like to start one, please connect with us. We will be hosting a list of all ministries around the country, to provide support, encouragement and the sharing of information. Look for an e-newsletter coming soon.
New!! Certification in Single Parent and stepfamily Ministry
InStep, in conjunction with AMFM (Association of Marriage and Family Ministries) will be offering a certificate in ministry. This program was launched at the 2007 AMFM Conference in Charlotte, NC; and will be presented at AMFM conferences in 2008. Also, this fall, the program will be available in a CD/DVD format.
To contact us regarding seminars, workshops of conferences, call us toll free at 1-888-5INSTEP or email us at InStepMin@aol.com
Coaching
Coaching is an active, present-oriented and solution-focused process. Coaching can help an individual or couple create a vision for life and relationships, and benchmarks to gauge progress. Coaching provides clarity, accountability and alignment.
Relationship Coaching
Relationship coaching is a partnership to help individuals make healthier relational choices, discover their purpose and clarify their goals. It addresses relational skills and barrier to success.
Stepcouple Coaching
The stepcouple relationship is the most important, yet most neglected relationship in the stepfamily. Stepcouples struggle with relational overload, which impacts every area of life, including intimacy, decision-making and extended relationships. Coaching helps stepcouples develop a vision for the marriage. Relational goals are addressed, roadblocks identified and unrealistic expectations clarified.
Coaching packages are available. Call 1-888-5INSTEP for details.
Stepcouple Intensives
Intensives are opportunities to intentionally focus on key issues stepcouples face, including intimacy, communication, conflict resolution and parenting. Two types of intensives area available: remarriage preparation and strengthening stepcouple marriages
Jeff and Judi are currently scheduling weekend intensives for 2008. The format will be Friday evening and all-day Saturday and will be limited to six couples per weekend. If you are looking to strengthen your relationship and understand the challenges of marriage in a stepfamily, then plan a weekend with the Parziales.
Mentoring
InStep has developed resources for training remarriage and stepcouple mentors. The keys to successful mentoring include authenticity and good listening skills. More than anything, mentoring is about building relationships. The key to creating effective mentoring relationships lies in the development of trust, which is built over time through honest disclosure and sincere interest.
Stepping Up!! InStep’s Monthly E-Newsletter
Each month we feature practical information for singles, single parents and stepfamilies to help you achieve healthy, authentic relationships.
This E-newsletter also provides articles and resources to assist those who are developing or are involved in a non-traditional family ministry.
If you have information about an event that impacts non-traditional families, or a pertinent article or resource, please let us know. We welcome your letters, updates or contributions. Contact us with feedback, questions or comments toll free at: 1-888-5INSTEP or email: InStepMin@aol.com.
Support (Life) Groups
A support group is a small gathering of people who share similar concerns or struggles. Members come together and share their challenges and victories as a means of mutual encouragement. A support group is a great source of hope and insight. It is a place to find acceptance and unconditional love and a safe, non-judgmental setting where feelings and thoughts can be expressed without fear of rejection.
Training
InStep trains support group leaders, primarily through our resource, How to Start and Lead a Stepfamily Support Group.
Safe Havens Domestsic Violence Project
Working to End Family Violence
For I know the plans that I have for you,says the LORD, plans for welfare, not calamity,that you may have a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Our Vision
To promote peace and safety in today’s homes and families.
Our Mission
To provide faith-centered advocacy and counseling services to victims of family violence,and to assist local churches in developing pro-active faith based strategies for addressing domestic violence.
Our Community
Safe Havens is committed to developing partnerships with local congregations, faith based organizations and domestic violence service providers to achieve our mission.
How Can Safe Havens Help Your Church or Ministry?
SAFE HAVENS: FAMILIES OF FAITH
Annual workshop held in October to promote awareness of domestic violence and offer resources to local churches and faith based organizations.
CHURCH WORKSHOPS
Individualized domestic violence trainings and workshops designed to meet the specific needs/requests of local Churches and Christian organizations.
CONSULTATION
Private or group consultation provided for pastors, ministers, Church staff, etc.
How can Safe Havens help me?
ADVOCACY
Short term advocacy and supportprovided for survivors of domestic violence with an emphasis on adult andchild safety and goal setting.
GROUP WORK
Support Groups will be developedas needed for child, teen andadult survivors of domestic violence.
PASTORAL COUNSELING
Continued advocacy, counseling and support provided for survivors who desire
services for a lengthier period of time.
Contact:
Debbie Harsh-Kightlinger, MSW,at 349-4036 or 721-0800 or
Email:DVEInterFaith@aol.com
