Communication classes can benefit more than couples

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Kyle Johnson | Renee Geren, a mental health services coordinator at Day Break Mental Health Services, and Senior Master Sgt. Gene Geren, first sergeant for the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron speak to a Couples' Communication class Feb. 1 at the Richardson Education Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The married couple of 18 years laid bare the intricacies of their marriage to the class as an educational resource. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Johnson/Released)  

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

02.01.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Kyle Johnson 

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson   

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - The Family Advocacy Program on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is hosting its quarterly interactive couples' communication classes this month at the JBER-Richardson Education Center. Interested parties can sign up for the next session's classes at any time for the next set of classes scheduled to begin April 4.

"I would much rather not be the one doing the talking," said Jennifer Frysz, Family Advocacy outreach manager. "Because those doing the talking are the ones doing the learning."

The classes occur weekly and consist of four two-hour sessions.

In the class, participants talk about listening and speaking techniques. Students are also connected to helpful resources they can pursue outside of class, Frysz said.

In one such exercise, students practice active listening. Depending on the individual's background, this may not be a skill they are familiar with, Frysz said.

"It's actually sitting and facing somebody," Frysz said. "The phones are off, the distractions are not there. You're squaring off shoulders, making eye contact. People learn about themselves. If someone grows up in a family where they don't have family dinners, or eat in front of a [television], they may not know what active listening looks like. So these are some simple strategies to set yourself up to be in a listening position."

"We can accommodate up to 20 people at a time, however, we're happy to help people who can't make it to the class," Frysz said.

Couples' communication classes are held quarterly and can prove valuable for anyone.

"The great thing about a couples' communication class is, we have a couple that has not been married for very long, and we have another couple that has been married for quite some time," Frysz said. "Any relationship can benefit from couples' communication. Just because you've been with someone for a long period of time doesn't mean you know everything about that relationship."

In the current iteration of the class there is one couple who have been together for more than half a decade and another couple who have been married for less than four months.

"With a large class, someone may say they have a husband who forgets stuff all the time and there will be a bunch of people say something like 'my husband does that too!'" Frysz said. "This can give validation and knowledge that other couples experience similar things and can show some dynamics in relationships are actually normal."

"I like the class, we're learning how to communicate with each other," said Sgt. Trey Sanders, a motor transport operator with the 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, "We are learning stuff about each other we might have not known, even after seven years."

The advantage of participating as group is there are a variety of perspectives available and students can learn from each other as much as from the instructor, Frysz said.

"It's very personable. We all get a chance to be heard and ask questions on how we might be able to apply it to our specific situation," said Senior Airman Samantha Schomaker, a mental health technician with the 673d Medical Group. "I like that there's more than one perspective, they've been married for seven years and we've been married under a year. It's nice to see if how I'm feeling at this point is normal or not."

Communication is not just valuable to couples, it can also be useful in business relationships, co-parenting and divorces, Frysz said.

"There are no limitations; you can bring your friend, you can bring your mom," Frysz said. "I think couples communication does not just target married couples, but also people who are going through a divorce, or contemplating marriage. Effective communication skills goes a long way in a lot of areas."

For more information on JBER couples' communication classes or any other Family Advocacy program, call 552-5858.

• Date Taken: 02.01.2016
• Date Posted: 02.04.2016 21:52
• Story ID: 187971
• Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US