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Couples in Transition-Leading a New Couples Group in PDX

10/22/2019

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Couples in Transition is a new group at Relationship Gardening that I am incredible excited to lead.  Who are these couples? Supportive Spouses from Spouses Group that are cisgender with a transgender partner are the ones who can apply to be in the Couples in Transition Group.  Even though I have seen at least 40 supportive spouses that remained together and thriving in the last 3 years of my group, it is still rare to find spouses or couples groups that support this unique type of relationship.  We are in the second batch in the couples group and are planning to have mega group check ins with all the rounds of couples groups after every new batch finishes their round.  I am hoping this also leads to the Very Important Transition Couples Retreats I plan to lead!
Although these are not broke down relationships I provide along the way a bit of Gottman science informed coaching of ingredients and how tos that keep a marriage on long lasting, happy path.

Couples share about coming out challenges for both partners, living double lives, work and career issues, getting free of hiding, living stealth, navigating rejecting relatives, raising children, planning for children, grown children, trans children, all the emotions within the relationship be it guilt, pride and celebration, anxiety and worry, solidarity with each other and other couples in the group, job leads, practical tips (electrolysis, medical insurance, name changes), sex and intimacy, navigating what this event means to identity (lesbian or gay couples now perceived as het, or het couples now perceived as gay or lesbian, and the challenge of nonbinary identities), setting boundaries with rude or intrusive people, changes to the relationship that were unexpected lovely surprises, and sometimes the great places to go to coffee together in a safer space.

As usual in working with me, we laugh, we cry, we have tea and chocolate (not required). Then I get to feel like I really love leaving a legacy in my life's work of impacting family trees positively by being a catalyst for healthy marriages even when other therapists are still telling these clients that their relationships don't work. Sucky heteronormative therapy and attitudes towards them is what doesn't work.

Couples in Transition Groups bring these families out of isolation and more into community where they can be themselves, reduce suffering, expand the joy and grow that "have each other's back" feeling that is what trust feels like, not just in the marriages but also in their new community. 

Talk to you soon,
​
Shannon Batts
spousesresourcecenter.org

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    Shannon Batts, Relationship Gardener, Portland, Oregon. 

    Marriage help or LGBTQi? and straight couples that aims to keep growing out of heterosexism, racism, ageism, SESism (I made that one up because economist doesn't fit)  to be a better listener, in support of the value of curiosity, connection, and intimacy without constant distraction, uh... can you put the phone down please?


    Oh, and adopt a houserabbit!

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New Enhanced Relationship Check-Up now available with streamlined 30% less questions, an easy way to reassess progress if we'd like, and plenty of information about strengths and what to repair. Available for $39 (to Gottman Institute) for clients of Approved Member therapist Shannon Batts.
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How to find a good marriage counselor?  Ask Shannon Batts in Portland, Oregon.  Note from Shannon: Make sure they have advanced training (not just degrees and licenses) with couples, can describe what they learned and how they deliver it to you, and are also HAPPILY married!

​Can they speak to their privilege or marginalizations and how they impact counseling with you?


​

1. Oppezzo M, Schwartz DL. Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014 Jul;40(4):1142-52. doi: 10.1037/a0036577. Epub 2014 Apr 21. PMID: 24749966.

​2. Calogiuri G, Evensen K, Weydahl A, Andersson K, Patil G, Ihlebæk C, Raanaas RK. Green exercise as a workplace intervention to reduce job stress. Results from a pilot study. Work. 2015;53(1):99-111. doi: 10.3233/WOR-152219. PMID: 26684708.

3. 
What moves you? Physical activity strategies in older women
Marily Oppezzo, Lauren Wegner, James J Gross, 
Daniel L Schwartz, Tessa Eckley, Abby C King, Sally Mackey, Marcia L Stefanick
First Published May 18, 2021 Research Article Find in PubMed
https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211014593
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Looking for a Marriage Counselor who studies and applies awareness of intersectionality, and the importance of examining her own hidden bias?
Shannon is a Race Talks Facilitator in Portland, Oregon, intentionally under (completed) training (100s+ hours) and ongoing mentorship by Donna Maxey (retired) and Shaina Pomerantz, JD, MSOL.
  





​Shannon Batts, Licensed Professional Counselor of Portland, Oregon, lic# C2379, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for Californians, lic# MFT 34477, is Marriage Friendly, with better than neutrality toward the outcome of your life long love commitment. Shannon Batts is a Portland, Oregon counselor, with advanced skills, education and training in assisting couples (extremely rare among counselors). Lesbian, gay, trans, mixed gender identity, questioning gender, nonbinary, and straight couples of all ages seek out tools and support for their relationships from Shannon Batts. Shannon trains ongoingly to be antiracist and is a facilitator and consultant at Race Talks PDX. Transgender, Black Americans, or unhoused clients will find amazing flexibility in counseling rates if you need it because you've been through enough!


​

www.couplesintransition.com
www.spousesgroup.com
www.spousesresourcecenter.com
www.spousesresourcecenter.org
www.relationshipgardening.com
all arrive at Relationship Gardening by Shannon Batts, and Spouses Resource Center so as to increase options for couples, including those facing gender transition to have excellent support for making it through transition together.
Couples with no LGBTQ identities also benefit by Relationship Gardening.
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Electronic/internet based communication is not a guarantee of privacy as it is always subject to security breach or hacking. You do maintain the right to email, text or video chat regardless of the risk.
 Shannon is the counselor's counselor where couples go to grow a happy marriage, with Gottman research based relationship and marriage help and telehealth video sessions. Clinical hypnosis available as Shannon completed the 100-Hour Comprehensive Training in Applying Clinical Hypnosis in Strategic Psychotherapy intensive by Dr. Michael Yapko. Marriage Counseling, marriage therapy, couple's therapy, couple's coaching, premarital counseling, help for transgender or non binary coming out in marriage, support for spouses of transgender or non binary partners, couples group for transgender partners and cisgender spouses, questioning gender in your marriage, marriage retreats, marriage workshops, antiracist coaching for engaged couples, antiracism groups for white people, antiracism couples groups, antiracism groups for professionals, custom antiracism groups, marriage affairs or adultery, porn or sex addiction or compulsion in your marriage, couples communication training-whatever you call it-make sure your best marriage counseling choice in CA, or in Portland, Oregon has Advanced Gottman Institute aka Relationship Research Institute training.  A Gottman trained therapist like Shannon Batts knows how to move couples from sticky negativity to a garden of new possibilities from the very first couples' session.  Services available by Zoom for all of CA and OR. Walking sessions for individual meetings. relationshipgardening.com spousesresourcecenter.com 

Photos from starsandspirals, frankieleon, starsandspirals, Jack Snell - USA, Matt From London