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HOUSTON, TX - American troops returning from combat overseas face a new battleground in stressed marriages, which has led to an increase of divorces of military couples since 2001. To serve these military men and women, a Houston nonprofit, The Clearing (www.clearingretreat.org) is now offering Marriage Intensive Retreats designed to smooth re-entry and heal relationships fractured by the separation of deployment.
on troops, nearly twenty percent of which return with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Spouses left behind to raise children without the other parent become frayed as well, compounding the difficulty of a long-distance marriage. Military men and women are all vulnerable, but the divorce rate for military women is twice as high as it is for their male counterparts.
The Clearing has a proven record of healing more than 90% of troubled marriages through its Marriage Intensive Retreats, which offer highly skilled psychological and spiritual counseling, sustained over several days to get to each coupleÂ’s root problems. The Clearing utilizes an approach that has produced similar results nationally, which have been documented in follow-up studies with couples more than two years after their participation.
Children of military parents suffer from a parentÂ’s absence during deployment, but the effects of divorce are even more devastating. Children from fractured families are statistically less likely to achieve in school and more likely to engage in high-risk behavior, substance abuse, and sexual activity.
Intact marriages strengthen the productivity of parents and improve their health and economic circumstances, while bolstering the academic performance of children and increasing their resilience, according to sociological research on marriage.
A challenge grant of $25,000 to enable The Clearing to serve military families is in effect until Dec. 31, 2010. Contributions may be sent to 4126 S.W. Freeway, #1130, Houston, TX 77027. Further information is available at www.clearingretreat.org. To refer a participant to The Clearing, call 979- 885-8121 or email Deborah@clearingretreat.org.
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CONTACT: Dr. Margit Winstrom Riley, Co-Founder of The Clearing, (832) 814-5926.
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