Healthy Relationships Week, held March 6-11, is a week dedicated to helping students make connections and strengthen bonds with each other.
“We cannot underestimate the importance of learning how to establish and maintain healthy relationships in all areas of life, whether it be family, friendships or dating, engagement and marriage,” said Judy Duvall, assistant director of the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community. “When your relationships are good with others this creates a sense of wellbeing in all areas of your life. We want to provide our students with the tools they need to succeed and flourish in their interactions with others.”
The week will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning in Chapel with Dr. Guy Grimes, a California native. Grimes will focus on having a relationship with those of the opposite sex and developing and growing in that area. In addition, Grimes will lead a break out session at 4 p.m. at the Elrod Center titled “Healthy Relationship…Ready or Not?” This session will focus on helping individuals recognize if a person is ready for a healthy and lasting relationship.
“Grimes is an incredible speaker and we are excited for him to be on campus,” Duvall said.
The next session for will take place Thursday evening at Refuge beginning at 9 p.m. During this session, students will lead a panel discussion, where dating, engaged and married couples on campus will talk through the different stages of relationships.
In addition, engaged and married couples are invited to participate in a couple’s retreat Friday, March 10 from 5 p.m. to Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Little Rock at the Wingate Hotel.
Dr. Chris Grace and his wife Alisa will be the retreat speakers. Both have professional training and practical experience, having counseled thousands of couples to date. They will share foundational and practical insights on enhancing intimacy. Student couples are able to participate in the retreat at no cost.
“We are most excited about our couples retreat that we have every year,” Duvall said. “We receive a grant through a private foundation in Arkansas that provides the retreat and we [The Elrod Center] supply a little extra money for it. I try to explain to these couples that it’s about eight to ten hours of free marriage counseling and it’s some of the best you’ll ever receive. It’s a great benefit to our students.”
For more information on how to get involved, contact Judy Duvall at the Elrod Center at duvallj@obu.edu or (870) 245-5320.
By Amber Easterly, staff writer
