PAIRS, INC.
MIAMI, FLORIDA

The Mission of PAIRS is to teach those attitudes, emotional understandings and behaviors that nurture and sustain healthy relationships and to make this knowledge broadly available on behalf of a safer, saner, more loving world. What is PAIRS? Intimacy is critical to the process of developing and sustaining close relationships. Modernization has shifted the primary function of marriage from providing security, stability, and raising children to developing a lifetime of love and intimacy. In previous generations successful marriages depended upon duty and role competence. Modern marriages require greater interpersonal competence as well as equality between partners in peer relationships. Relationships are sought that not only create stable families but also provide partners with a lifetime of love and companionship. PAIRS (Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills) programs provide a comprehensive system to enhance self-knowledge and to develop the ability to sustain pleasurable intimate relationships. PAIRS unique, innovative approach integrates a wide range of theories and methods from psychology, education and psychotherapy and presents them in an educational format. PAIRS acts to bridge therapy, marital enrichment, and marriage and family development. to Ask PAIRS a Question PAIRS offers programs to the public led by PAIRS Trained Professionals (licensed health care professionals), and PAIRS Instructors (certified clergy, lay leaders, and educators), trained under the auspices of the non-profit PAIRS Foundation, the organization that officially oversees PAIRS programs, products and licensing worldwide. There are PTPs and facilitators around the world. Check to find one near you or near one you love who may need PAIRS. PAIRS has been research-validated as being effective in all populations for which it has been adapted. PAIRS has relationship skills training programs for children and youth, PAIRS for PEERS, that are taught in schools, churches and community organizations. PAIRS has programs for the Military, providing critical support for active duty, guard and veteran families impacted by deployment; classes are taught by chaplains, counselors, family service workers and PAIRS National Trainers. PAIRS has faith-based programs for the Jewish, Catholic, and Christian church communities. PAIRS serves disadvantaged youth, unmarried couples, adoptive families, singles, prison parolees, and others who can benefit from relationship skills training. has demonstrated that PAIRS works for all groups under all circumstances evaluated. PAIRS is a modern technology adapted to our rapidly changing society in behalf of creating a saner, safer more loving world. What you will learn in PAIRS PAIRS Competencies The Mission of PAIRS is to teach those attitudes, emotional understandings and behaviors that nurture and sustain healthy relationships and to make this knowledge broadly available on behalf of a safer, saner, more loving world. Helping Veterans Strengthen Most Significant Relationships The Department of Veterans Affairs is trying a new path to caring for and healing the nation’s wounded Veterans. Now, in addition to repairing their damaged bodies and minds, VA is going one step further and helping to repair their crumbling intimate relationships. The seminars are conducted by VA chaplains, social workers, psychologists, and nurses. They are PAIRS-certified instructors, teaching better communication skills, relationship skills, and emotional literacy skills to couples. PAIRS stands for: Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills. The VA seminars, called “From Warrior to Soul Mate,” are based on a program created by the nonprofit PAIRS Foundation which, for over a quarter century, has provided educational programs that deliver practical skills to strengthen marriages and families. PAIRS Relationship Roadmap Nine “Train the Trainer” workshops have certified over 400 PAIRS facilitators at VA locations around the country. Participants’ evaluations revealed that many Vets and their partners felt that “everyone in the military should be required to attend” such seminars, that the seminars helped with the problems of multiple deployments, PTSD, and other challenges of military service and transition. “I would like to say thank you for PAIRS couples seminar. It helped my husband and I see that our relationship is still worth fighting for.” From Warrior to Soul Mate has been a unique and important program to help so many of America’s Veterans strengthen the health of their families. Ralph and Michelle Lynn’s marriage was floundering until, at Michelle’s urging, they attended a PAIRS VA marriage seminar three years ago at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. Now things are different. “We started out doing three or four seminars a year,” Waldrop said. “We got a lot of positive feedback, so now we’re up to about 11 a year. We’ve done two- or three-day seminars for over 400 couples. We’re here in Georgia, but we’ve had couples come here from as far away as Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and Florida…all over. The seminar is free, so their only expense is transportation. If they can make it here, we get them into the program.” The idea is gradually catching on at other VA sites across the nation. “We spend about 70 percent of our time helping couples with their communication skills,” Craddock said. “When these Veterans come back from overseas, they don’t have the communication tools to talk to their spouse about their pain, their frustration, their grief. And we’re seeing this in both males and females…even the females returning from Iraq and Afghanistan want to seclude themselves. Just like the guys, they don’t want to be around crowds…they don’t want to go on family vacations or outings…”