Feb 7 – 14 | “Couple Matters” With Sam and Michelle Parks
February 7, 2022
National Marriage Week? Yes! In case you haven’t heard, it begins today!
So does the YouTube series, “Couple Matters,” hosted by Sam and Michelle Park, a dynamic husband and wife team who are Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary (ATS) alumni.
They explain, “We had been tossing this idea around for a little while, especially since we both work with couples together and on our own. We’re not hip enough to be on TikTok (much less know how to use it!), but we’ve created videos on YouTube in the past. Knowing that National “Marriage Week” was coming up—the week leading up to Valentine’s Day—creating short videos to share our perspectives, experiences and encouragements felt doable. We’re focusing on questions we’ve regularly heard from couples over the years.”
“These questions have come from folks who have been dating, engaged, married, divorced, remarried as well as from singles and ministry couples. It runs the gamut! On our “Couple Matters” website (www.couplematters.org), we have a quote: “Couples matter, and there are many things that matter to couples. Discover how to make those matters work for your relationship.” But beyond just couples, we believe knowing how to do relationships well will make a difference in the quality of life that we end up living and that will impact the generations to come.”
When Sam and Michelle wrap up the series on Valentine’s Day, there’s a bonus for their audience. “We will be offering something fun to couples and to those who want to work with couples!”
Sam, a 2021 alumnus of the Doctor of Ministry program, also earned an M.Div. at ATS and his undergraduate degree at Nyack. He is an ordained minister with The Christian and Missionary Alliance and is currently a Member Care Specialist for the Metropolitan District of the C&MA. Sam shares that because there’s a special place in his heart for all leaders, he offers spiritual and soul coaching to any leader who comes seeking encouragement, perspective, and care at the deepest level. About his journey with his wife, Sam says, “After marrying Michelle, I whisked her off to be part of the pastoral team at an international church in Warsaw, Poland for 4 ½ years. We came back to the U.S. to plant and pastored a church in Queens, NY for 12 years.” The couple are the parents of two daughters, Sophia, Emma Jay…and their adopted border colliege/pointer mix, Lady Paisley.
Michelle, a licensed Marriage and Family therapist is an alumna of the Alliance Graduate School of Counseling where she earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is an adjunct professor for her alma mater and for the C&MA Metro District and Nyack/ATS Empower program for women. Her practice, ReEnvision Marriage and Family Therapy is located in Queens. She and her associates see individuals, couples and families (currently 100% telehealth). Michelle is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and a member of its New York Chapter, the NYMFTNetwork.
With so much preparation, so much experience and so much love, what tools can their audience glean this week?
“Our top three tools: (1) Three keys for healthy relationships (2) Fighting well and (3) A perspective on ‘meeting in the middle’ (Hint: it’s not about compromise…Stay tuned!)”
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