Frequently Asked Questions about the TOOB trainings at the Smart Marriages Conference

I don't see a price for the TOOB Trainings on the conference information page or Registration form?
The TOOBs are included in the conference fee. If you are registered for the Conference,
you have paid for the TOOB Trainings. This does NOT, however, include the price
for the materials - the "box" or kit. If you want to purchase the program, click on the
titles of the programs and you'll be taken to the headquarters website for each program.
The programs range in price from Free (for the FOOBs) to $600. The average price is around $75.

Certification? Will I be certified to teach the course?
These are "teach out of the box" programs. Instructor certification is not required. The TOOB Training
Workshops are intended to give you confidence - the founders of the programs
will give you pointers, tips, guidelines for how to best teach their programs. If you get to
a website and it indicates otherwise, please email and let me know.

Can I be guaranteed a spot in John Van Epp's "How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk" TOOB?
I don't want to buy the program if I can't get into the session.
You are guaranteed a spot in any of the TOOB Workshops if you register by May 11.
After May 11, we can "almost" guarantee a spot. After May 11, email diane@smartmarriages.com if you
need to confirm availability.

The instructions suggest we purchase the program BEFORE we attend
the conference. The two I'm interested in are expensive! I'd rather wait
and take the training, then purchase the program if I still want to. Is this a problem?
This is not a problem. You will be able to follow-along in the training, with
or without the program in hand. You will get lots of information/instruction/ideas that you
can use in your work with couples/families, even if you don't purchase the kit.

I'm not clear.....how are these related to the pre and post conf institutes?
How is Stosny's Power Love related to his Boot Camp Institute?
And, the IMAGO Dalogue TOOB and their 2-day Imago CASP and ImagoConnects Institute?
IMAGODiaolgue is a good example. IMAGODialogue is a "teach out of the box" program
but it is a wonderful luxury to spend a full day with the founders of the program to get
pointers about how to best use it. If you train in the IMAGO Institute there is no need for
you to take the IMAGO TOOB- unless you simply want more exposure, drill, and grounding in
the program. If you are not taking the IMGAO Institute, then the TOOBworkshop
would give you some some time with founders and some guidance about how to teach
the course using the kit. Ditto for any other program that offers both a TOOBand an Insitute.
You could take both the Institute and the TOOBWorkshop for the fun of it -- to have more
one-on-one time with these founders and great beings -- and, also to hear them explain
how to teach their programs, but you will get all -- or, most -- of what you need in the TOOBs.

From the e-newslist:

- GETTING CERTIFIED ....AND OTHER CONFERENCE MYSTERIES AND CONFUSION

And, both of these remind me to answer a question on the list that I've
received repeatedly in various versions this week. Since posting the
conference program, there has been confusion about the TOOB Trainings vs the
pre and post conference TRAINING INSTITUTE "certification" trainings. I
had a call yesterday from someone in the ARMY that MUST get trained to teach
the "How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk" program. She wanted me to
assure her that she could get into that training Institute and
she wanted to pay right now to guarantee a spot.

I apologize that the different training formats are causing confusion.

Let me try one more time to see if I can clear this up - and to assure you
about a few things:

"HOW TO AVOID MARRYING A JERK" will be offered as a 90 min TOOB
training. The TOOB trainings are reserved for those programs that have a
TOOB "teach out of the box" format. In other words, you don't NEED training to
teach these programs - face time training is not required to be "certified".

You can purchase the kit and use the kit to start teaching. HOWEVER, the
point of the TOOB sessions is that it's nice to have guidance and
teaching tips, in person, from the founder of the program. It's a wonderful
luxury and opportunity. Even more exposure is of course better, which is why we
used to offer the "Avoid a Jerk" training as a full-day Institute and why
the Army is sending Van Epp all around the world to train chaplains. But
the courses that offer the TOOB option now have their training "fitted into
a box on DVDs and workbooks". With the Institute/TOOB COMBO
of choices, it is possible to attend nine "trainings" in nine different
programs at the conference. (Pre and post Institutes and seven TOOBs during
the conference.) 

You do not have to pay anything extra to attend the TOOB training sessions.

They are included in the general conference fee. But please note that the
boxes or kits are NOT included in the conference registration fee. You have
to buy the kits separately - and prices range all over the place. You CAN
also attend the TOOB trainings without purchasing the
kits. You can purchase the kits AFTER the training if you decide to do so.
We think you'll get more out of the training if you purchase the kit prior
to, but that's your choice. You purchase the kits directly from the
programs - SmartMarriages doesn't take a cut - we're trying to make these as
affordable as possible and to get the programs "out there". Many of the
programs are offering deep discounts from now till the conference. Check the
TOOB site for info and prices - there's a link to each program's web site:
/TOOBs.html

> How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk - TOOB
> John Van Epp, PhD
> Great marriages begin long before the wedding. Learn what
> parents and singles should know about the five keys to successful
> mate-selection, and how to avoid the "love is blind" attachment-syndrome.

Also note that, VAN EPP will present his newest program 'MARRIAGE LINKS' in a
one-day Post-Conference training. That program is also a "teach out of
the box" kit. You can spend a full day with Van Epp being trained in this new program.

> One Day - Monday, July 1
> Marriage LINKS
> John Van Epp, PhD
> With the LINKS (Lasting Intimacy through Nurturance, Knowledge and Skills)
> learn to teach the Relationship Attachment Model (RAM) for marital
> maintenance of intimacy, trust, sexual satisfaction, forgiveness and
> mutuality.
> Techniques and tools for teaching groups in churches, schools & on bases.
> $50 spouse discount. Click for more information:
> /LoveThinks.Marriage.html

Obviously, if you're going to teach the "Avoid Jerk" courtship version of
RAM, it's a good idea to have the extension into marriage version in your
repertoire -- so you can offer both in your setting. Which is exactly what
the Army thought and which inspired Van Epp to create the Marriage LINKS course.

WHICH LEADS ME TO POINT OUT, that THIS SAME PHENOMENON is happening across
the board. EACH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. I spent time with Nisa
Muhammad and Mike McManus on Tues as we drove to Annapolis to testify on the
marriage education legislation and all we talked about were the expansions
of their programs. McManus is very excited about the results he's getting
with the adaptation of the Marriage Savers mentoring model to low-income
couples having babies out of wedlock - great success in helping them marry.
Nisa was excited about the new CDs she's making as add-ons to the Black
Marriage/Basic Training Curriculum – one for men and one for women to
listen to as they drive/commute – to anchor the skills and information.

Each program - PREP, IMAGO, PAIRS, RE, COMPASSION WORKSHOPS, LEARNING
SOBRIETY TOGETHER, ETC ETC -- all of them, are introducing exciting new innovations.
Marriage Education just keeps getting better and more accessible and affordable
and more user AND instructor friendly.

- Diane

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