TCF is dedicated to helping same-gender couples build and maintain happy, stable relationships and families. Toward this aim, beginning in 2009 we developed healthy relationship education programs for SGM couples, designed to help them learn skills that can maximize their chances of relationship success.

These programs, originally called the Strengthening Same-Sex Relationships Programs (SSSR; renamed in 2019 to Better Together to be more gender inclusive), are couples workshops that are attended by groups of 3-10 couples. Based on what couples told us they wanted, we created separate versions of SSSR for male and female couples - although couples who do not identify as either male or female are welcome to attend either workshop in which they would feel most comfortable.

Both versions include evidence-based skills training in specific behaviors that support couple health and longevity, as well as specialized content designed to meet the unique needs of queer couples. All program materials were designed to be free of heterosexist bias and depict real-life queer couples.

Couples who have participated in the SSSR programs were highly satisfied with the material, appreciated that it was designed specifically for them, and reported that their relationships benefited from participation. To learn more, read this paper describing what participating couples said about the programs.

The SSSR programs have shown promising effects with male couples in Boston and Cincinnati, and with female couples in Cincinnati and Denver. Specifically, the programs appear to help couples improve their communication with each other, reduce stress levels, and strengthen relationship satisfaction. Read more about the research evaluating each version by clicking on the links below.

In 2019 we rebranded the programs with the new name, “Better Together” to be more inclusive of all gender identities. We retained separate versions for men and women based on the strong consensus among our participants that they felt more comfortable in groups with couples who were most similar to themselves. This also allowed us to tailor some of the program content to the particular interests and needs of sexual minority women and of sexual minority men. Click on the links below to learn about our current projects evaluating the Better Together programs.