The course focussed on how partners or couples – even family members and friends, neighbors and work colleagues – can successfully relate to each other. The course also provided guidance on how to be together and to communicate with each other in daily life, especially when conflicts arise – and how to find ways to resolve such potentially damaging conflicts.
“Most of the 20 participants were Scandinavian – Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and some Thais too. They came from Bangkok and Pattaya, and some couples even came from as far afield as Laos and Singapore,” said Lennart Hamark, a Swedish priest working in Bangkok.
The ‘Course for Couples’ was run by Steinar Rishaug, a Norwegian family therapist, accompanied by Hilde Sirnes, a Norwegian priest based in Pattaya.
“Steinar led the lectures using both Norwegian and English. During the lectures, participants were encouraged to try short exercises – for example, how to communicate with one another, sitting back-to-back and trying to explain to the partner, by words only, a picture on a paper theyun studied,” Lennart Hamark added.
“The participants found this course very useful as well as very nice and relaxing in a comfortable and sharing atmosphere. So the course will probably be organized next year, also in April,” he concluded.
