These exercises deal with the issue of grief. The first three exercises build on themselves in terms of grief. The last two exercises are relationship building in the healing/everyday life process.

Most of us have dreams or wishes that may never become reality but are close to our heart. Trusting our partner with a secret longing may feel risky or we may simply never have consider-ed doing so because, after all, it’s only a dream!

An Assessment for Future Growth Potential

This exercise will help you look ahead and assess the growth potential of your relationship.It should enable you to work on positive prospects for future planning and avoid, if possible, negative ones.

We never learn all there is to know about our partners. Take turns answering the questions. Give each other permission to skip questions.

Go through this inventory very quickly circling the level of satisfaction you feel for each category. Then go back through very quickly and mark the level where you believe your spouse is with an “X.” Next, turn to your spouse and compare ratings. Take time to dialogue about those areas where there is a wide divergence of ratings. These can be your most fruitful areas of growth.

We never learn all there is to know about our partners. Take turns answering the questions.

This exercise will help you look ahead and assess the growth potential of your relationship.It should enable you to work on positive prospects for future planning and avoid, if possible, negative ones. Each of you respond to the questions independently and then come together to discuss, evaluate and plan for your future.