Every first Sunday from 5pm-7pm, I'll be hosting a group for anyone interested in learning more about creating and sustaining healthy relationships. The groups will be drop-in and donation based. Both couples and individuals are welcome. I'll be discussing a topic, facilitate a group discussion, and provide homework for those who want to take what they learned home with them. The first group will be December 3rd, and every 1st Sunday after that. The topics will be different every month for 4-5 months and then repeat. So far, topics included are, but may not be limited to, attachment, communication, intimacy, and dealing with conflict. People are welcome to come for repeated topics for as long as the group is helpful to them.

All are welcome! The group will be held in Mandala Midwifery's clinic, though the group is open to any couple or individual willing to participate. Couples may be with or without children, of any sexual orientation, and any duration or quality of togetherness. Individuals participating may be single and wanting to learn more for their next relationship, or individuals in a couple who are not both present. Please only bring infants if necessary, as older children may be distracting. 

December 3rd- The healthy relationship: How do we create and maintain one? We'll briefly cover the chemical states of attachment, stages of relationships, how to reattach and stay curious and connected with each other, and how to avoid the 4 factors that have been thoroughly researched/documented to destroy relationships- criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. There will be an optional home exercise to see if any of these 4 have taken over, and one aimed at helping you to reinvest in your partner and foster reattachment.

Tara Renee Breitenbucher is a licensed therapist and educator who provides psychotherapy to individuals and couples in her private practice in Bend, Oregon. She's been seeing couples in her practice since 2009, helping couples arrive at a better understanding of their dynamics and negative cycles, creating the space for them to feel safe in trying out another way of being with each other and in the world, and giving them the opportunity to work together to turn their negative cycles into positive ones. She primarily relies on concepts from Emotionally Focused, Imago, Focusing-Oriented, and Existential Therapy. For more information on her work with couples or individuals, please see her website at Imagineapath.com