Rev. Dr. Thomas Shepherd recalls how he became interested in this topic: "Early in my career as a military chaplain and pastoral counselor, I noticed that the couples who came to see me were usually in troubled relationships already. So, instead of continuing to function strictly as a spiritual emergency room for traumatized partners, I joined the growing number of ministers who practice preventive ministry among healthy couples. Working with chaplains from all sorts of denominations, I sponsored marriage enrichment retreats, taught ‘fair fighting’ techniques, and put together couples’ support groups. I quickly discovered that people were eager to improve their interactions with significant others before the post-nuptial love boat headed for the rocks. That’s what this week’s program is about—making good relationships better."