Purpose Built Families Foundation is a nationally-accredited 501c3 nonprofit that delivers compassionate, client-centered, trauma-informed care to address underlying causes of poverty, homelessness, addiction, and suicide.

Creating a safer, saner, more loving world.

Practical Skills for Successful Relationships™

Tackling Underlying Causes and Disrupting Homelessness, Suicide

Purpose Built Built Families Foundation delivers evidence-based PAIRS relationship skills training to strengthen connections with family, friends and social support networks.



Skills for Successful Relationships®

Empowering life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for those who have served our nation.

AI Relationship Coach

A Model of Care Built on Empathy & Compassion

Operation Sacred Trust ("OST") is a Purpose Built Families Foundation collaboration for ending veteran homelessness and preventing suicide.


Since 2011, OST has helped prevent and end homelessness for thousands of veteran families through a model of care  founded on empathy, compassion, and addressing the underlying causes of homelessness. Learn more about Purpose Built Families Foundation's recommendations for publicly-funded programs serving veterans in crisis.

True Intimacy

True intimacy is a requirement of successful relationships. Lifelong partnerships, which were once based on security, stability, and raising children, now depend on sustained interpersonal connection and equality. Today, marriages are an enduring source of love, intimacy, and companionship.

Research Validated

Independent research has demonstrated that evidence-based relationship skills training works for all groups under all circumstances evaluated.

Modern Approach

PAIRS is a modern response to our rapidly changing society that supports relationships of all kinds and promotes loving communities.

Skills Training for Emotional Literacy

"I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve our Veterans through this program and found it to be very valuable. The program has been a tremendous resource for Veterans going back to the beginning of OIF/OEF and had a huge impact on those struggling with the aftermath of war, particularly two wars going on at the same time. I saw Veterans who came in with this program as a last resort before ending their marriage but leaving the weekend a new couple. Here at CAVHCS, we have had the opportunity of hosting this program 3 to 4 times a year by way of overnight retreats. As a result, the program has increased opportunities for clinical teamwork and improved crucial hospital metrics."


John Bailey, MDIV, BCC

Chief, Chaplain Service

Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System


It is one of the paradoxes of modern-day life that the knowledge that can offer us a sense of safety, connection, love, security and predictability in a world that is often chaotic, filled with turbulence, turmoil, violence and unpredictability – the knowledge that we most need – is not taught and is not required in any school curriculum. It is knowledge that our parents couldn’t teach as they didn’t have it.


This knowledge is called Emotional Literacy.


Upon this knowledge, this literacy, all of our other abilities, creativity and the use of our intelligence, depends.


What is Emotional Literacy? The Oxford dictionary defines literate as an educated person who can read and write. 


Emotional Literacy means an educated person who can read and write emotions – but what does that mean? And, how do we develop it?


Developing Emotional Literacy is the process of becoming an emotionally educated person, one who is able to read and write the language of the heart, one who is able to have empathy and compassion for others. 


PAIRS training develops these abilities.


Who We Are

Purpose Built Families Foundation is a nationally-accredited nonprofit that evolved from PAIRS Foundation, founded in 1983. Our flagship 120-hour PAIRS program was first developed by marriage and family therapist Dr. Lori Heyman Gordon as a semester-long graduate program for future counselors at American University in Washington, D.C.  With the contributions of psychologist Virginia Satir, one of the founders of family therapy, psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Casriel, and clinical psychologist Dr. George R. Bach, she continued working to refine, validate, and expand the range of PAIRS programs.

Since 2018, Purpose Built Families Foundation has been exclusively responsible for worldwide training, distribution, licensure, and oversight of the full range of PAIRS intellectual properties.

We recognize that relationships can be hard to maintain. That’s why our professionals teach instructors about the emotional intelligence necessary to sustain healthy relationships. This requires the delivery of evidence-based best practices that are easily integrated into daily life.

PAIRS Foundation’s collaboration with Purpose Built Families Foundation allows for the support of research, education, and related charitable activities that combat intergenerational poverty. This is done by strengthening relationships within and among families, thus building resilient neighborhoods and communities.

Programs are offered to the public led by PAIRS trained instructors, who are licensed health care professionals, certified clergy, lay leaders, and educators, trained under the auspices of the nonprofit Purpose Built Families Foundation. There are trainers and facilitators around the world.

Purpose Built Families Foundation conducts ongoing research to assure programs for the public and professionals consistently deliver the highest quality, research validated, processes that offer the greatest opportunity for participants to achieve their individual and collective goals. PAIRS also requires instructors to strictly adhere to extensive ethical practices and licensing requirements.
RESEARCH VALIDATED

What We Do

Since 1983, PAIRS has helped create a safer, saner, more loving world through experiential, research-validated relationship skills training programs for singles and couples of all ages, backgrounds, and stages of life and relationship.

PAIRS Essentials Classes

PAIRS Essentials is the PAIRS Foundation’s flagship program. These classes range in length from one day to multiple weeks and are even offered as retreats. They are designed to create positive, enduring shifts in the quality and resilience of relationships, whether intimate or non-intimate. PAIRS Essentials also supports the Department of Veterans Affairs Warrior to Soul Mate program.

 

Specialized Programs

Specialized curricula serve unique audiences. PAIRS for PEERS is a relationship skills training program for children and youth offered through schools, churches, and community organizations. PAIRS programs are integrated in Christian, Muslim and Jewish institutions; military programs help Army, Navy, Marine, Guard, and Air Force families boost relationship strength and resilience.


PAIRS Tool Box

PAIRS approach to relationships is built on practical, usable tools for success that are easily accessible and learnable. PAIRS tools provide outlets to express the range of feelings conflict resolution skills that get to the root instead of just symptoms. Graduates are better communicators and problem solvers, including confiding, listening with empathy, asking for change, and eliminating unsafe fighting.


Learn More

Send us an email to learn more about bringing Purpose Built Families programs to your community.

General Inquiries

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