Making Sense of Relationships
Fr. Ballentine is located in Orlando, FL and is available for in-person coaching of individuals, couples and/or groups of couples. He is also available for relationship workshops and seminars for your church and/or group. He is on the web and available for conference calls, as well as video coaching via Google+, Skype or FaceTime. If you are interested in relationship advice and coaching, or a PREPARE/ENRICH assessment, please contact Fr. Jabriel by clicking here, at jahbread[@]gmail.com or call 321.236.2878.
According to 2012 data from the U.S. Census, approximately one-third of the Country’s adult population is single. But, the popularity of dating sites like eHarmony and match.com indicate these numbers are not because people do not want to date. People are still interested in dating and finding lasting love. So what prevents that from happening?
For singles seeking a partner, the key is in discovering how you approach “the box” of marriage and determining if you are equally yoked with your potential partner. I work with singles to help you discover what you already own to contribute to the box. And based upon what you are able and willing to deposit in the box, you are better able to determine if you are equally yoked.
Fr. Jabriel also works with couples, using a tried and proven method for assessing relationships and promoting their success. The following information is adapted from the PREPARE/ENRICH website:
PREPARE/ENRICH is a customized couple assessment completed online that identifies a couple’s strength and growth areas. It is one of the most widely used programs for premarital counseling and premarital education. It is also used for relationship advice, marriage counseling, marriage enrichment, and dating couples considering engagement. Based on a couple’s assessment results, a trained facilitator provides 4-8 feedback sessions in which the facilitator helps the couple discuss and understand their results as they are taught proven relationship skills.
To Purchase Your Assessment ($75.00)
Over 3 Million Couples!
Over the last 30 years, the PREPARE/ENRICH relationship assessment has empowered and energized more than 3 million couples. We’re the #1 relationship inventory and couples assessment tool.
Why should you Assess Your Relationships with the #1 relationship assessment tool?
The main component of the program is an online survey you each complete in about 30-45 minutes. PREPARE/ENRICH is not just any survey. The items you respond to are based on research and are intended to help you identify the unique strengths and potential growth areas of your premarital or married relationship. You’ll meet with a facilitator trained to provide feedback by helping you understand your results and learn important relationship skills. Built on a solid research foundation, PREPARE/ENRICH has been improved and refined over the years to become one of the best, most effective, easy-to-use relationship assessment tools available.
What are the major goals of the PREPARE/ENRICH Program?
There are several goals of the PREPARE/ENRICH Program. In order to achieve these goals there are exercises designed to help couples improve their relationship skills. The program helps couples:
- Explore strength and growth areas
- Strengthen communication skills
- Identify and manage major stressors
- Resolve conflict using the Ten Step Model
- Develop a more balanced relationship
- Explore family of origin issues
- Discuss financial planning and budgeting
- Establish personal, couple and family goals
- Understand and appreciate personality differences
What relationship areas are assessed by the Inventory?
- 12 Relationship Scales — communication, conflict resolution, roles, sexuality, finances, spiritual beliefs and more
- 5 SCOPE Personality Scales
- 4 Couple and Family Scales — based on the Circumplex Model
- 4 Relationship Dynamic Scales
- 30 Customized Scales
Is the PREPARE/ENRICH Program valid & reliable?
An important strength of the PREPARE/ENRICH Inventory is their strong psychometric properties. High levels of reliability and validity have been found for each instrument, making them valuable tools for research as well as clinical use.
- National Norms based on over 500,000 couples
- High Levels of Validity and Reliability
PREPARE has validity in that it discriminates premarital couples that get divorced from those that are happily married with about 80-85% accuracy. Reliability is high (alpha reliability of .80 – .85).
For more information about research with the PREPARE/ENRICH Inventory, view Research Articles.
To Purchase Your Assessment ($75.00)
Fr. Jabriel is an Episcopal Priest who specializes in relationship advice and coaching for young professional singles, couples and new parents. He has been certified by Life Innovations to be a PREPARE/ENRICH relationship and marriage coach and helps urban professionals who desire strong marriage and family life to learn how to approach the box of relationships and choose a mate with whom they are equally yoked. In addition to seminary and post-seminary training in pastoral care/counseling and marriage preparation, Fr. Jabriel’s own failures in marriage and relationship have caused him to seek out counsel for himself, and engage in extra study and introspection on what makes for strong and healthy relationship. As a single father, he is also especially equipped to help other single parents navigate the dating landscape when children are involved.
Fr. Ballentine considers himself a coach, rather than a counselor. People hesitate to seek counseling because Society has deemed that people need counseling when something is wrong. Yet, a coach brings the best out of a team. As a couple, you are a team. And even the worst performing team can experience a complete turn-around with the right coach!
His purpose as a relationship coach is to create an environment for redeemed persons who are able to reconcile with others in healthy relationships. Whether you are seeking intimate relationships, considering marriage, or hoping to improve your marriage, Fr. Jabriel can coach you towards a “world-class relationship.”