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Building Intimate Marriages, Inc. Newsletter
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · March 2010· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
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In this issue...
Stressed, anxious? Keep touching...
Passionate Intimacy Workshop in Vermont
Welcome to our March eNewsletter.
February is always a good month for marriage ministry with the focus on Valentines. A real highlight was the Passionate Intimacy Workshop in Marietta, GA hosted by Grace Fellowship Church Couples Ministry (Snellville, GA). With 150 couples in attendance, the energy was high. I would invite you to check out how couples rated the workshop by viewing the report through this link.
We've also ventured into Facebook. In case you missed it last month, we now have a Facebook page for the Passionate Intimacy Workshop. I invite you to join in...
I appreciate you being a part of our ministry. As always, give us a call if we can be of help.
In HIS Service,
Michael Sytsma, PhD
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Stressed, anxious? Keep touching...
If you have been to any of my workshops or seminars you have heard about
the importance of oxytocin. This neuropeptide has received a lot of attention in the past decade.
In addition to it's role in pair bonding mom's to their children, it is
also valuable for connecting lovers. It's the "we belong together"
chemical.
Recent research continues to highlight the value of oxytocin in our
systems. In addition to pair bonding, oxytocin has been shown to be
instrumental in protecting against stress, depression, and anxiety. As
oxytocin increases in our system, the stress chemical cortisol
decreases. Both blood pressure and levels of depression go down in response to an increase in oxytocin.
This is good news for couples. Even in the midst of a conflict discussion, couples with higher levels of oxytocin showed significantly increased positive communication behavior vs negative behavior. Other studies have shown oxytocin increases trust, empathy and altruistic feelings in
relationships.
All these sound like good things in marriage. Since the most potent way
we know of to increase oxytocin is to experience touch in the context of
a close relationship, I encourage you to keep touching. Hold hands. Cuddle on the couch. Walk arm in arm or with your arm around
your spouse's waist. Even the small
"micro-touches" like a "high five", pat on the back, or rub on the arm
count. And if you can't be near them, pondering the memory of their touch will also increase oxytocin as your body remembers the touch.
Give it a try. See what tripling the non-sexual touch in your marriage
does.
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| Register NOW for a
Great weekend in Vermont!
Friday April 30 -
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Jackson Gore Inn at Okemo (Ludlow, VT)
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Healthy Christian Marriages of Rutland, Vermont is hosting a Passionate Intimacy Workshop at the end of April. You are invited to join us at this wonderful location.
Details:
When: April 30 - May 1, 2010. We will start at 6:30pm on Friday the 30th and go until 8:30pm. Saturday will begin at 9:00 am and we will end at 4:00 pm on Saturday, May 1st.
Where: The workshop will be held at the Jackson Gore Inn at Okemo. This is a beautiful ski resort in Ludlow, VT. Click on the links above to learn more about this location.
View the brochure here  | Registration: Registration for this Passionate Intimacy Workshop is being handled by Healthy Christian Marriages. Please visit their website for more information.
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We appreciate your interest in Building Intimate Marriages and look forward to providing you with useful tips and exercises designed to help you build a more intimate marriage. If you think of someone who might benefit from receiving emails from us, please click the "Forward email" link below and send this on to them. It's one of the many ways you can help our ministry grow.
In HIS Service,
 .The Building Intimate Marriages Team
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