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The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute is hosting its 6th annual conference geared towards teaching rural Missourians about healthy relationships. KSMU’s Katie Easley spoke with a psychologist about the upcoming conference.

The conference is geared towards all types of relationships in rural communities and will be held September 17th and 18th at The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute. That’s located at 2885 West Battlefield in Springfield.

“The fall conference is based on the premise that in order to have healthy communities you need to have healthy relationships and specifically healthy family relationships in those communities,” says Baker.

Dr. Jennifer Baker is a psychologist with the institute. She says when parents learn more about relationships, it’s beneficial to a child’s success.

“The couple relationship is often the basis for the home and when that isn’t going well or even when single parents make poor relationship choices they put their children at risk. When they make good relationship choices and you have safe and stable home then you have a much healthier foundation, thus building a foundation from which to work," says Baker.

The conference has scheduled several different classes on relationships. Some are for high school students, and others are for single adults or single parents. Also, engaged couples can get relationship tips.

“Psycho education won’t solve all a couple or individuals problems but it is very cost effective its preventative and it’s been shown to improve outcomes for children’s when the parents of the child get their act together and are making good relationship choices and the home is safe and stable children to better on every other measure,” says Baker.

The conference costs 20 dollars and includes breakfast and lunch. There are also pre conference activities that involve helping military families. You can find more information from a link on our website KSMU: .org.

www.operationus.org

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