Renowned relationship coach visiting Idaho Falls to help people invest in their relationships
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IDAHO FALLS – People nationwide have heard his voice on the radio, but now people in Idaho will see his face.
Well-known BYU Radio host and relationship coach Matt Townsend is bringing his popular Date Night seminar to Idaho for the first time.
The topic for the event is “Feeding the Love: Living the 7 Basic Needs of Healthy Relationships.” Townsend tells EastIdahoNews.com this event is designed to use fun and humor to help people learn important tools and skills to improve their relationships.
“You’ll learn how to meet your partner’s seven basic needs, and we’ll do it in a way that people won’t even know they’re learning,” Townsend says. “It really is a lot of laughing. It’s almost like a comedy routine in a way that you learn.”
As he has worked with couples over the years, Townsend says there are some issues common to every marriage. Some of those include recurring arguments that never get resolved, little things becoming big things and feeling like you’re not as in love as you once were. He says watching two people learn to see each other differently is a rewarding experience.
“I see some really cool shifts. Initially, people feel like a loving relationship is a million miles away, but it’s really just a shift in the way you think. I get to see them in the middle of that shift and it’s the greatest thing ever,” Townsend says.
The idea for Date Night dates back to Townsend’s childhood.
“My parents separated when I was six, divorced when I was eight. I never understood why they couldn’t get along because I loved both of them,” he says.
That’s when Townsend decided he wanted to help people improve their relationships. Prior to becoming a relationship coach, he worked as a divorce mediator. He says he discovered humor was a powerful way to help people relax and resolve conflicts, but still felt there was a missing element.
“I thought, Why aren’t we teaching people the skills to improve their marriage instead of just divorcing them? You really don’t have to divorce most of the time if you just have some basic skills,” he said.
Townsend then quit mediating divorces and went to teach skill-building classes for couples.
“To me, it really does feel like a calling. It’s (a talent) I feel like I’ve been given,” he says. “There’s a lot of people that can teach communication stuff, but I’ve found they can’t do it in a way that keeps people coming back.”
Townsend says Date Night has gotten bigger every year. The decision to host a Date Night in Idaho Falls was a no-brainer, he says.
“People who have heard me speak at other things requested I do one here. My sister and brother-in-law live (in Idaho Falls) and they were telling me to do one here, so we had the connections,” Townsend says. “Our goal is to fill up the school and help as many people as we can.”
Date Night with Dr. Matt Townsend will be held at Eagle Rock Middle School Saturday, April 21 from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $40 per couple and can be purchased here.
“It’s going to be a fun night for you and your spouse. Come and take advantage of Dr. Townsend’s company in Idaho Falls,” says Eagle Rock Middle School event coordinator Yuliana Gatica.
If you are divorced and are looking for a better relationship or are a single parent, Townsend says the information in this seminar is universally applicable to everyone.
“Our relationship is usually the last thing we invest in, and when we do it’s kinda too late,” Townsend says. “So invest in it right now. It doesn’t have to be grueling to be in a relationship. Relationships are what make the world go round. It’s going to be worth it.”