Target Audience

The target audience is married couples who feel that they might be in trouble, or possibly also those having severe problems in their marriage. I am not sure of couples experiencing only mild problems should be grouped with those on the brink of divorce. Nevertheless, I believe the techniques will be of use to both. Two different workshops could be arranged for those with mild and those with severe problems. The couples can be from any ethnic background and age group, since the issue is a globally human one rather than one related to a specific group in terms of age or ethnicity. It is projected that most of the couples will be married for some time - probably more than one year. This is not a requirement for the workshop, however.

I have chosen this population, because the target of the workshop is to help people find ways to communicate more effectively by valuing themselves first. Self-love is often the first victim in troubled marriages. The loss of self-love leads to a loss of self-esteem and self-respect. This leads to resentment, and the problem exacerbates via the reactions of the partner. Partners often only need to be aware of the core problem in order to take the first steps towards remedy rather than divorce.

In choosing this audience, the aim is to address one of the greatest social problems in Western societies today. Marriages that end in divorce are particularly tragic when children are involved. It is likely that more often than not such children will not learn to communicate effectively or love themselves adequately in their own lives, and the problem perpetuates itself.

Learning objectives

The main learning objective is that the readers of the PSA need to understand that something can be done about problematic marriages. It may not be necessary to file for divorce if both partners are willing to provide both themselves and each other with love and respect. It is possible to be happy in marriage....

This is a further objective.
Many people, both in life and in their marriage, are unhappy. The PSA should therefore include graphics and phrases that indicate how self-love and communicating effectively within a marriage can bring them greater happiness. Self-sacrifice leads to resentment and unhappiness. A person who loves him- or herself takes enough time for hobbies, rest and other activities that fulfill him or her in some way. This provides the person with a sense of self-actualization, which leads to self-esteem. Self-esteem is vital in communicating effectively.

Finally, the most important thing about the PSA is that it should attract the correct kind of people to the workshop. It should therefore state very clearly that the target is couples who feel that their marriage is in trouble. It should also clearly state the objectives of teaching self-love and effective communication to create a better and happier marriage.

In conclusion, I feel that all people have within them the ability to make their marriages work. The present divorce rate appears to indicate otherwise. However, I believe it indicates nothing more than an unwillingness to look beyond resentment and personal pain to find techniques that each partner can use him- or herself. It is easy to blame each other for marital problems. The workshop will move the focus away from this paradigm to find techniques that are both more effective and less difficult to live with. When completed, the posters will be put up at public place to draw the maximum amount of participants. If successful, and if necessary, more such workshops will be arranged.

Sources

Narindra, Bob. Three keys to a successful marriage. Lovingyou.com, Inc., 2007. http://www.lovingyou.com/content/advice/self-help/content.php?ART=3keystomarriage

Spalding, Sandra T. Relationships begin with loving yourself. Spalding Educational Products, Inc., 2008. http://www.spaldingeducprod.com/pages/text/relation.html