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The Dance of Connection: Breaking Destructive Patterns in Relationships
Manage episode 499782219 series 3667417
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Ever wondered why relationship patterns seem to repeat themselves, generation after generation? Couples therapist Risa Ganel reveals the powerful truth behind this cycle and offers hope for breaking it during her illuminating conversation with Claire Duarte on MomTalk Maryland.
With nearly three decades of experience and specialized training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), Risa shares how her journey began at age 12 when she discovered she was the only child at summer camp whose parents weren't divorced. This early awareness sparked a lifelong dedication to understanding and healing relationships, eventually leading her to study under relationship experts like Esther Perel and Terry Real.
What makes RLT revolutionary is its willingness to lovingly confront harmful behaviors rather than maintaining therapist neutrality. "If you speak harshly to your partner, you're not going to get a more warm and loving partner," Risa explains. This approach addresses both shame and its counterpart—grandiosity—creating space for genuine transformation.
The conversation explores Risa's upcoming Relationship Skills Boot Camp in Annapolis (September 20-21), a two-day workshop teaching essential skills for self-regulation and relationship repair. The workshop creates what Risa calls a "brave space" where participants can learn without pressure to share personal details. Day one focuses on relationship with self, while day two addresses connections with others.
Perhaps most compelling is Risa's insight on breaking intergenerational patterns: "Family dysfunction rolls downhill like a fire in the woods until one person has the courage to stand and face the flames." By healing our relationship wounds, we not only improve our current connections but create a healthier legacy for our children and future generations.
Ready to transform your relationships and become that courageous flame-facer? Visit togethercouplescounseling.com to register for the Relationship Skills Boot Camp. Early bird pricing ends August 31st!
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Chapters
1. Welcome to MomTalk Maryland (00:00:00)
2. Meet Risa Ganel: Couples Therapy Expert (00:01:20)
3. Origins of a Relationship Healer (00:04:36)
4. Relational Life Therapy: A Different Approach (00:09:09)
5. The Relationship Skills Boot Camp Workshop (00:17:39)
6. Creating Brave Spaces for Connection (00:22:16)
7. Breaking Family Dysfunction Cycles (00:29:32)
8. Workshop Details and Closing Thoughts (00:37:55)
15 episodes
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