I’m Ron Cochran.

I’m Here To Guide You.

My journey has uniquely prepared me to help couples reconnect. As a communication teacher for 12 years and a consultant at the University of Illinois' School of Labor and Employee Relations for 25 summers, I mastered the art of teaching people how to truly hear and understand each other.

Driven to make an even deeper impact, I earned my Master's in counseling with a graduate certificate in Marriage and Family Services, and completed Level 3 training in Gottman Method Therapy. For over two decades, I've worked both as a middle school counselor and marriage therapist (and no, I'm not 100 years old—these roles often overlapped!).

Marriage Renewal Academy brings everything full circle, combining my teaching roots with my counseling expertise to help empty nest couples create their strongest relationship yet.

My Story

Sometimes the best teachers are those who started out needing the most help.

 When Patty and I met in college, we fell head over heels and married just two months after graduation. Young, in love... and completely clueless about what makes a marriage work. We were floundering so visibly that some older friends stepped in and offered to help. That moment taught us one of life's most valuable lessons: it's okay to not have all the answers.

 Over our 43-year journey, we've embraced that wisdom again and again. Whether facing marriage challenges, parenting hurdles, financial decisions, or life's unexpected turns, we've learned that reaching out for guidance isn't a sign of weakness—it's a commitment to growth.

 Has being open to help and continuous learning paid off? Absolutely.

 Today, Patty isn't just my wife—she's my best friend, my confidante, and my favorite person to share both life's triumphs and challenges with. We've literally grown up together, and now, as empty nesters, we're excited about growing older together too.

 This journey from ‘clueless newlyweds' to where we are today is why I'm so passionate about helping other couples find their path to deeper connection. Because I've learned that sometimes the most beautiful chapters begin right when you think the story might be winding down.

Why I Do It

For over 20 years, I served as a middle school counselor, and I loved helping kids navigate this challenging stage of life. But something kept haunting me.

Day after day, I would comfort children whose hearts were breaking due to tension at home. I'd listen and validate them as they confided about their parents' fights, or try to console them as they were caught in the crossfire of bitter custody battles. Each time, I could offer only temporary comfort—like putting a bandaid on a wound that needed much deeper healing.

That's when it hit me: the best way to help these kids wasn't just by supporting them through their parents' struggles—it was by helping couples build and maintain strong marriages in the first place. 

 Now, as I guide empty nesters in renewing their relationships, I'm not just helping couples—I'm helping protect the next generation. Because when marriages thrive, families thrive, and children grow up with models of what real love looks like.