Counseling service offers relationship workshop, advises better communication

Build. Explore. Establish.



That is how Matt Reiser, a relationship guidance counselor at Utah State University, encourages students to build healthy relationships.

Reiser presented the first of a two-part workshop on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the USU Taggart Student Center.



The “lasting relationships” workshop is intended to help individuals learn new methods of communication and establish stronger relationships with those around them.



“We try and offer education options, therapy and workshops because we know how important relationships are to everyone,” Reiser said. “Everyone attends for different reasons.”



Reiser began by asking those in attendance to define a relationship. The event’s 11 participants then discussed their answers as a group.



A list of basic rights, provided by Utah State’s Counseling and Psychological Services, became a central point of discussion.

Reiser addressed liberties such as the right to emotional support, the right to live free from accusation and blame and the right to encouragement. The absence of such rights, Reiser said, causes stress and puts strain on the relationship.

For every 10 marriages across the United States in 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau counted about five divorces. Studies over the several decades have shown shifting rationales for divorce, but one constant is problems with communication.

Much of Reiser’s information and suggestions for addressing those issues came from the work of therapist John Gottman, who is known for his work on marital stability and divorce prediction. Gottman has conducted 40 years of research with thousands of couples.

Students who attended said the workshop was “beneficial” and “educational.”

And that was good news to Reiser.

“The discussion really helped make everyone feel more comfortable,” he said. “The most common issues include conflict resolution, problems with communication and understanding partners’ feelings.”

The second part of the workshop will be held Monday, March 5 at 1:30 p.m. in room 310 of the TSC. It will be open to the public.

For more information visit www.usu.edu/counseling.

Betsy Blanchard, Jason Borba, Taldon Bressel, Maggie Euller, Alicia Facer, Curtis Lundstrom, Amanda Taylor, Rebecca Eisenhower, Eric Jungblut, Trevor Anderson, Ryan Neeley, Marisa Nielsen, Trey Williams, Nicole Murray and Bailey Nielsen contributed to this report.