A husband-and-wife team who not only share the same name, but the same passion for helping others build healthy relationships.
In 1991, the Parrotts founded the Center for Relationship Development on the campus of Seattle Pacific University – a groundbreaking program dedicated to teaching the basics of good relationships. Married in 1984, the Parrotts bring real-life examples to their speaking platform. Their professional training – Leslie as a marriage and family therapist, and Les as a clinical psychologist – ensures a presentation that is grounded, insightful and cutting-edge.
Each year Les and Leslie speak in over 40 cities. Their audiences include a wide array of venues, from churches to Fortune 500 company board rooms. The Governor of Oklahoma appointed the Parrotts as the first ever statewide Marriage Ambassadors. Authorities have called upon Les and Leslie to provide on-site support in the aftermath of worldwide disasters such as Ground Zero and Chernobyl. The Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, invited them to assist his soldiers with re-entry into family life upon returning from Iraq.
The Parrotts have been featured in USA Today and the New York Times. Their television appearances include CNN, The View, The O’Reilly Factor, The Today Show and Oprah.
As #1 New York Times best-selling authors, their books have sold over two million copies in more than two dozen languages, and include best-selling and Gold-medallion winner Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts. Other popular titles include Real Relationships, L.O.V.E., The Parent You Want To Be, Trading Places, The Complete Guide To Marriage Mentoring and Love Talk. Learn more at LesandLeslie.com
Also Available: SYMBIS Assessment and SYMBIS curriculum
Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts (SYMBIS) is a comprehensive marriage program designed specifically for today’s couples.
First published in 1995, and continually revised and updated, SYMBIS has become the gold standard in marriage preparation. Drs. Les & Leslie Parrotts’ award-winning approach incorporates twenty years of feedback, research, and professional experience.
This is more than a book—it’s practically a self-guided premarital counseling course, and it is used by counselors and churches across North America and, now in twenty languages, worldwide. Questions at the end of every chapter help you explore each topic personally. Companion men’s and women’s workbooks full of self-tests and exercises help you apply what you learn and enjoy intimate discussions along the way. There is even a seven-session DVD kit (with a bonus session for people entering a second marriage) available that you can use on your own or with other couples in a group or a class that want to grow together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the assessment for?
Better Love is for any and every couple–whether you are dating, engaged, newly married or married for decades.
How do we take the assessment?
It’s easy. Each of you take it on your own but just make sure you answer all the questions in one sitting. It will take you about 15 minutes. You can begin your assessment here.
Do we answer the questions together?
No. To ensure accurate results each of you will need to complete the assessment on your own without discussing it.
How long does it take to complete the assessment?
Approximately 15 minutes and you can complete it on any screen, from phones to tablets to laptops.
Do I need to answer all the questions in one sitting?
This is optimal. You get better results if you don’t take breaks between questions. However, if you have to take a break and continue later, your progress is saved along the way.
How much does the assessment cost?
The assessment costs $35 and includes a downloadable Better Love Action Plan. This gives you a step-by-step strategy for applying new insights into your relationship.
Do we need a leader or facilitator to take the assessment?
No, Better Love is intended to be self-guided, especially with the accompanying Action Plan. However, there’s also tremendous benefit to exploring your report with a counselor or coach.
Ok, we both finished the assessment. Now what?
As soon as both of you complete the assessment, you’ll immediately receive an email to download your Better Love Report and the Better Love Action Plan.
Is the Better Love Assessment based on research?
Absolutely. This is critical. Every aspect of this assessment is grounded in multiple studies to ensure that the tool is both reliable and valid.
How do I contact you?
We’d love to hear from you for any reason. The most expedient way to connect is at:info@BetterLove.com.
Who sees our complete results?
Nobody but you will see your results (your report is emailed directly to you upon completion) unless you choose to share your results with someone.
Could this stir up trouble in our relationship?
Better Love is designed to keep you focused on the positive. No guilt. No finger pointing. It’s all about leveraging your love for each other.
What kinds of leaders use Better Love?
Basically, anyone who has couples in their care will find value in using the assessment–including clergy, counselors, coaches, teachers, mentors and small group leaders.
Can I use Better Love in groups or classes?
Absolutely! Better Love works exceptionally well with couple-groups of all sizes.
What kinds of couples benefit from Better Love?
In short, couples in any age or stage will benefit from Better Love. It’s designed for couples moving from bad to better and from good to great.
What is the Leader Dashboard?
If you oversee groups of couples–of any size–you will love the how easily Better Love can be integrated into your program. Our Leader Dashboard enables you to purchase assessment credits in bulk, at a discount. In addition, you can create aggregate reports which summarize the results of all the couples in your group or class into a handy report.
What's the cost for the Leader Dashboard?
We’ve got you covered. It’s completely free. In fact, it can save your organization money by allowing you to purchase assessment credits in bulk.
Can a counselor use Better Love in their counseling sessions?
Of course. Better Love is a terrific counseling tool. You can invite a couple you are seeing to bring their Better Love report into your session so you can review it together.
What if I want the couple's reports to come to me as the leader?
Better Love is designed specifically for giving couples direct and immediate results. However, our SYMBIS Assessment puts you in the driver’s seat and has the couple’s report come directly to you on your own, private dashboard. The report is also more comprehensive and you can become trained and certified as a SYMBIS Facilitator in just 3 hours. Learn more: SYMBIS.com
How many sessions are needed to unpack Better Love in a group or class?
Typically, you’ll want 4 or 5 one-hour sessions to thoroughly explore the report and provide time for coupes to interact with each other and their own results. The accompanying Study Guide and Group DVD is setup as a 4-week series. However, Better Love is flexible. Feel free to use it in a fashion that fits your schedule and style.
Who pays for the Better Love assessment?
You can have each couple pay for their assessment themselves, which is $35 per couple. If you’d like to cover the cost for your couples, you an purchase assessment credits through the Leader Dashboard in bulk. The more you purchase, the greater the discount.
Can I have my entire church use Better Love?
Certainly. And we make it easy for you through the Leader Dashboard. You’ll want to use the Group Report feature to get an aggregated report of your couple’s global needs and strengths. This is an ideal tool for planning and targeting your preaching calendar for your congregation. In addition, the Better Love Campaign Kit provides everything you need to create a church-wide campaign around Better Love. Including a 4-week sermon series and lots of other helpful resources.
What does the Group Report tell me?
Whether you have just a few couples or thousands, your Group Report reveal information about your couples that you might not otherwise ever know. Including:
- how many carry significant financial debt
- what issues cause the most conflict
- how they rate their sex lives
- how they manage their time
- and much more