Many of us grew up believing that boundaries push people away and that saying no means we’re being selfish, difficult, or unkind. But in truth, boundaries are not walls that shut people out. They are bridges that help us stay connected with honesty, safety, and respect. When we don’t have clear boundaries, relationships can start […]

Developed by renowned therapist Terry Real, RLT is a dynamic, no-nonsense approach to couples and relational therapy that goes beyond traditional models.

We all know that listening is a component of communicating, but we can easily underestimate the importance of this skill.  We tend to underestimate its importance when we assume this is a skill that we have already mastered. The reality is that most of us are listening to respond, instead of listening to seek understanding. […]

Perspective taking is an important skill for couples. We feel heard, seen and understood when someone is able to see things from our point of view. What is Perspective Taking? Perspective taking is the ability to seek out understanding to see the world through another’s eyes. This skill uses our working memory, cognitive flexibility and […]

What is an apology? This question may seem obvious, but when we take a closer look at apologies, we can recognize that most of us could use a little work in this area. The reality is, most of us did not have genuine apologies modeled to us, and so now it is our job to do some relearning on how to take accountability for our mistakes.

We all extend bids of connection in our relationships – this is how we connect, relate and engage with one another during small moments each day. What are bids of connection and how can we recognize when we or our partner are extending a bid? A bid of connection is simply one person extending an […]