Relationship Gardening

The Best You, For Yourself and Your Loved Ones: Lowering Stress and Regulating Moods Within and Without, Naturally.

Shannon Batts, LPC, LMFT and Alison Loercher, L.Ac, M.a.O.M. talk about ways to reduce stress within yourself and your relationships using time tested strategies and herbal medicine.

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014  7 PM @ The Vital Compass 5412 N Williams at N Killingsworth, in the same building as that bookstore from Portlandia, In Other Words, and across from Ethos Music.

RSVP 15 spots available in total::

Cake and Communication Tools Demo Night for Engineers and others who ask, "But what do I DO?"

Only 5 Tech/Geek/Brainy/Engineer types and their mates will get in on this first round.

First up: step by step (with take home booklet) interactive demo on talking about a fight or regrettable incident...AND CAKE! Why? Because my mission is to deliver the goods to make your marriage rock, Baby, and have fun too! Gluten free, and vegan cake by Petunia's.
Research backed tools.

Message me to get more info or reserve a spot. Couplescoach at gmail
Downtown Portland, Oregon.

Why all this talk about evicting criticism? Criticism is one of the 4 big poisons that wears away your love connection. That is my driving reason, but why now is about my first tweets ever this week! @LoveHabits.

May I introduce you to my latest reviews? http://relationshipgardening.com/content/reviews-relationship-gardening-...
"Best of the Best" is the newest one from a therapist who took her turn in the client seat.
If you know someone in a struggling marriage, have them take a look around, ask them what they think. Gotta plant the seed before it can grow. See you soon, love and peace, Shannon.

Do you have to brace yourself to hang out with family? I started wondering what was the point of going at all to family events if it came with the emotional price tag. If your aha involves no longer being obligated to crummy treatment, perhaps you'd like to go outside the box.

OUT OF THE BOX. If your family is in the emotionally hard to bear category and you are new at establishing limits in the moment, or they just insist on being rude no matter what you do, this OUT OF THE BOX idea may be your jump start!

DISSOLVE THE DYSFUNCTION. What emotional traps have you inherited? What are your family rules that mess up holidays? Like a pro and con list, make 2 columns with old rules on one side. Whenever you recall a bad scene, go back to your list and add the rule that drives this scene.

CRAFT A NEW RULE that would be a healthy alternative and put that in the new rule side. These new rules are like affirmations. "I put my own oxygen mask on first." "My thoughts and feelings are important and respected." "I am loved and respected just as I am." Which new rule do you need next?

GO BOLD
One gal asking for advice on a social networking site about a good way to handle an Obnoxious Relative at holiday gatherings got my GO BOLD idea. She was wracked with hurt and fear about how he typically made too personal of comments about her and that no matter how assertive or limit setting, she could count on his negative remarks about her body. (This was not counseling, just a stranger seeking ideas of what to say.)

He: "You look like you gained weight."

Do you take your dose of insults or criticism from family for the sake of keeping the peace? What about being contorted into an identity that isn't truly yours? Is it wearing you out trying to make everyone happy except yourself? Is it worth it? Do you want to exercise courage and take your next best steps? Read on for insights, ideas and sample phrases just in time for your Christmas gatherings!

UNCLE KNOWS-BETTER-THAN-YOU