Renewing Us - Couples Program
Terms and Agreements
Your success in the Renewing Us - Couples Program depends upon a high degree of trust between you, your facilitator, and your fellow members. This document has been prepared to fully inform you about what to expect from the program.
Understanding the Renewing Us - Couples Program
The Renewing Us - Couples Program is a specially designed group process for couples to seek greater intimacy and healthy connection in their marriage after the damaging effects of betrayal. The program is designed for couples that are beyond the initial stages of safety and stabilization following discovery. Additionally, it is expected that both partners are fully committed to not only surviving but thriving after betrayal.
During this program both spouses will be invited into a process of understanding more about yourself and others in a safe environment. In the program you will have the opportunity to explore patterns of thinking and behaving that are similar to how you relate to your spouse as well as others in your life. Objectives of program include, but are not limited to:
- Develop skills to assist you in reaching your goals
- Feel a sense of support from other group members
- Understand more about yourself and your family system
- Identify and explore thoughts, feelings and behaviors that hold you back
- Learn how to improve your marriage by identify both areas of strength as well as areas of needed growth
You are welcome to share as much or as little about yourself or marriage while in the program, however, the more open you are the better experience you will have. You are welcome to ask questions at any time. The more deeply you understand the process of coaching, the more effectively you will be able to incorporate positive change into your life.
The Role of Your Facilitator(s)
Our philosophy and approach to Cohort coaching is the belief in TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More). We will work through material developed specifically for this program. Your facilitator’s primary responsibility is to create an atmosphere of safety and support in order for you to get the most out of the program. Your facilitator will encourage each member to be honest, vulnerable, and respectful about his or her feelings and observations. If you are ever feeling unsafe in the cohort you are encouraged to discuss this with your facilitator. If for any reason you experience any negative reactions or blocks towards participation, please share this. Your voice is your power and your right.
Benefits of the Program
Participating in this program can result in a number of benefits to you, including a better understanding of your personal goals and values, improving your marital relationship, and resolution of specific problems you are facing. It is important to recognize that the program is not magic, and change does not occur overnight. Your willingness to participate fully in the cohort and your openness to take feedback will play a role in how much you gain in the program. In particular, the extent to which you are also open and honest about yourself and your relationship will play a role in how quickly you can achieve your goals.
Knowing the Risks of Group Programs
There can be discomfort involved in participating in this program. You may remember unpleasant events, or experience anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, frustration, loneliness, helplessness, or other unpleasant sensations. If these distressful emotions arise in a way that holds back your progress, please talk with your cohort and with your facilitator.
During the process, it is also normal to have intense feelings and reactions toward your spouse, other members or even towards your facilitators. Again, these are understandable emotions that should be discussed and processed in the group setting. If you believe that the cohort is not the most appropriate setting for you to heal and grow, please talk with your facilitator about other possible options.
Confidentiality
You have the right to confidentiality and privacy by the leaders and other members. Confidentiality within the cohort setting is a shared responsibility of all members and leaders. While leaders may not disclose any client communications or information except as provided by law, cohort members’ communications are not protected. As such, confidentiality within the cohort setting is often based on mutual trust and respect.
This practice adheres to professional, legal, and ethical guidelines of confidentiality established by professional organizations and state law. Legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality include: a clear or present danger to harm yourself or another, knowledge of the abuse or neglect of a minor child or incapacitated adult, or responses to a court subpoena or as otherwise required by law. If you are doing things that could cause serious harm to you or someone else, your facilitator will use their professional judgment to decide whether a duty to warn exists to ensure everyone’s safety. In these situations, your facilitator will talk with you about his/her concerns in order to get the support that you need.
As a member of this group, you agree to not disclose to anyone outside the group any information that may help to identify another group member. This includes, but is not limited to, names, physical descriptions, biological information, and specifics to the content of interactions with other group members.
Program Fees and Terms
The fee for the Cohort Program will be agreed upon before the program begins attending based on the Renewing Us - Couples Program check out page. Fees are charged monthly to your card on file based on the date you register for the program. Any failure to pay program fees may result in a loss of program participation. Client agrees to remain present and active through the full program. No refunds on payments are available for this program. ALL PARTICIPANTS AGREE TO A 12 MONTH MINIMUM COMMITMENT WHEN REGISTERING.
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE CHARGED THE PROGRAM FEE REGARDLESS OF SESSION ATTENDANCE.
Guaranteed Program Offering:
- Relationship Learning Experiences will be offered through our E-Course learning platform. Couples are expected to engage the appropriate material prior to the start of a cohort session. Group facilitators will communicate the content schedule where needed.
- Cohort Sessions will be offered weekly (where/when possible) for 46 sessions. Certain weeks the cohort may not meet, but no sessions will be lost. Group size may affect allotted time. Your facilitator will communicate any needed details around session time.
-
The Renewing Us - Recovery Online Community will offer participants an opportunity to connect with other members being coached through the cohort program offered by The Raabsmith Team. Participants may also message coaches to receive asynchronous coaching on issues in between sessions.
-
Specialty Session Calls will be held monthly and will be available to all members. Recordings of the session will be available on the cohort portal.
All other resources and offerings for the Cohort Program will be offered at the sole discretion of The Raabsmith Team.
Online Presence and Social Media
We understand that the use of the Internet, online reviews, and social media impact virtually all aspects of our lives. Please be aware of the implications of posting information about your cohort program online! If you post an online review, status update, tweet, or blog about your experience in the program, you are publicly acknowledging a coach-client relationship and have thus waived your right to privacy. Please consider any potential negative impact that this could have either today or in your future. Some cohorts may utilize online social media or digital group experiences. Please be aware that all agreements are in place during online interactions. Please see our cohort guidelines for more information.
E-mail is a helpful tool for asking general questions of your facilitator, confirming appointments, and conveying relevant information and updates. However, e-mail should not be used as a substitute for coaching. Your group facilitator will not conduct coaching via email, and in such cases that lengthy or disclosing emails are received; she/he will invite you to talk about it during the next session. Please notify your coach if you decide to avoid or limit, in any way, the use of e-mail. Otherwise, your coach may communicate with you via e-mail when necessary or appropriate. Please do not use e-mail for emergencies and please note that e- mails, faxes, etc. are all part of the client records.
Emergencies
Your coach can typically be reached during normal business hours Monday through Friday. Please note that we may not be immediately available to handle emergency situations. If you are in need of emergency assistance, call ‘911’ or the crisis response team for your county of residency. Unless otherwise specified, your coach will return phone messages within 48 hours.
Appropriate Group Behavior
It is very important that you consistently attend scheduled sessions. Although illness, unexpected events, or vacations may occasionally interrupt your program, consistent attendance plays a large role in helping you, and your fellow members achieve your desired goals. Please be aware that your absences negatively influence the progress of yourself and the other members. If for any reason you are not able to attend a session, please inform your facilitator.
In order to maintain the health and safety of the cohort and its individual members all participants agree to the following:
-
Group sessions are confidential. Members and leaders are bound ethically not to disclose the contents of the sessions in any way that could identify members of the group. Remember, we are building trust and safety.
-
Use "I" statements: Speak from your own experience by using "I" instead of “we," "you," and "us". A person can only speak for how her or she feels, not how others feel. Accordingly, we usually encourage spouses to check in before sharing something sensitive with other cohort members.
-
Be on time: Being on time shows respect for the process and others.
-
We must be accepting of our differences in order to grow and learn.
-
While the facilitator will do his/her best to maintain a balance of individual time between all members, all participants are expected to respect each others time by not dominating the cohort space. All cohorts require participation from all members in the process. The particular level of participation expectations will be discussed in your respective cohorts.
-
Members should not tell anyone what to do, how to feel, or offer direct advice on another participant's issue. Let them discover their own process and only offer when requested. Do not talk or when someone else is sharing. Share your own experience when it is your time to do so.
-
Do not get stuck in euphoric recall, glamorize, or romanticize your addiction or destructive past. Sharing specific details about “acting out” behaviors may be unhelpful to other members. If you have questions about the level of appropriate detail to share in the cohort or community please see your facilitator.
-
Be respectful. Do not get up and leave or use negative body language (roll the eyes, shake the head, etc.) when someone is sharing. No rescuing. Letting someone feel is a part of healing. Bullying of any kind isn't allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated.
-
Expect and respect moments of silence: Quiet is a form or a process of seeking an answer.
-
Recording of the session in any way is not allowed.
Virtual groups require an extra layer of intentionality to provide a healthy setting. While participating in a virtual group please adhere to the following guidelines:
-
Maintain the utmost privacy in your environment while participating. Make sure you and your spouse are in a private, confidential room with no other people present (including children).
-
Please do not participate in other activities during cohort time either at your location or on your device.
-
Keep your camera on and focus on the cohort at all times during the session.
Any repeated violations of these expectations may result in the cancellation of a client’s participation in this program.
Liability
The Renewing Us - Recovery Program is a service that provides coaching to specific individuals and/or groups. The client is aware that coaching is in no way to be construed or substituted as psychological counseling or any other type of therapy or medical advice. The facilitator will at all times exercise the best professional efforts, skills and care of ensuring the client is coached to meet their goals. The client understands and acknowledges the coach will not be liable legally or otherwise, for the actions the client may or may not undertake as a result of the sessions. No assumption of responsibility is made, or given, and the client requesting such advice agrees not to hold the facilitator or The Raabsmith Team Inc. responsible or liable in any form or fashion, for such actions taken of their own accord. The method and process by which this advice and direction are given in no manner whatsoever, written or verbal, constitutes an agreement or liability on the part of the provider and is acknowledged to be different in many ways than clinical and medical counseling. The client enters into the program with full understanding that they are responsible for creating their own results.
Thank you for the time and attention that you took to read this document. We look forward to having you in group!
