CREDO Northwest Offers Marriage Workshop

SILVERDALE, Wash. - (NNS) -- Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) Pacific Northwest hosts its first ever marriage enrichment workshop at Bangor Plaza on Naval Base Kitsap (NBK), April 27.

The workshop helps Sailors and their spouses discover how to handle inevitable conflicts, better understand each other, improve intimacy and communication, and explore their vision of the future.

"I think it's important for people to realize that all couples have problems," said Lt. Mark Beaudet, a Navy chaplain. "This workshop is for couples that want to build on positives."

The workshop focused on issues that couples may struggle with throughout their marriage and gave ways to work through those problems.

"They're talking about speaking and listening techniques along with things like love language," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Paul Dooley, assigned to the Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Henry M Jackson (SSBN 730). "This workshop has been really helpful and informative."

The marriage enrichment workshop was over the course of one day for couples that may not be able to get away. CREDO also offers a Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER) for couples that have more time to get away.

MER is a three-day retreat designed to enhance the ability of a couple to get away from distractions and focus on their marriage relationship.

"This workshop is for couples who want to get away and build resilience and intimacy to get through tougher times," said Beaudet. "People should be taking advantage of this free opportunity that people overlook."

People attending the workshop will discover how to handle inevitable conflicts, better understand their spouse, improve intimacy and communication, and explore their vision of the future.

Both the workshop and the retreat are meant for the Sailors and their spouses who are seeking greater satisfaction, closeness and genuineness in their marriage. The workshop and the retreat are not designed for married couples in serious marital distress.

"This class helps with listening to each other and allows us to go deeper into things that may seem obvious," said Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Chad McCray, also assigned to Henry M Jackson. "I can take tools from this workshop and apply them to our lives."

CREDO also offers a family enrichment retreat and personal resiliency retreat. All of the retreats offered are meant to support growth and resilience. It began in 1971 as the "Chaplain's Response to the Emerging Drug Order" to confront the use of drugs by Sailors and Marines.

For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwpacen/.