Appretiating Personality Differences

In this workshop, we demonstrate how the person who attracted us in the first place, and whom we fell in love with, can later be the same person whose personality differences drive us crazy! And we talk about how the differences are normal and “built right in.”

In a sense, this workshop is a further explanation of the “Disillusionment Stage” which we introduced with Expectations. Personality differences are another source of disillusionment. It helps couples to know they are not “crazy”, and it is not “bad” that they are different. It is natural and normal. We all tend to pick a mate who, in some ways, is opposite us and “fills in our gaps.” The problem arises when we are shocked by our differences, do not understand and appreciate our differences, or when we refuse to bend to “meet our partner halfway.”

The purpose of this workshop is to help couples see that all personality traits have positive and negative aspects. The goal is to help them appreciate the positive qualities in their spouse and to learn to “meet their partner halfway” on the traits where they are opposite.