Carole's Feb/Mar 2012 Newsletter

In this issue...

Alone Together & Boundaries

Discover a New Way to Love Couples Weekend

Kids Pick Up on Everything

Contact: 734.424.2797 or e-mail. For more information see Carole's website.

What's Been Happening & What's Coming Up

We have had a most unusual winter as you all know. My daughter and granddaughter came for Christmas. We were disappointed as we were looking forward to outdoor activities. They had a skiing lesson on fake snow. My granddaughter did very well. It was fun having them here even without the snow. Charlie, Neesa's brother dog, that lives in New York City came as well and the two dogs always have a wonderful time together.

I have had several interesting workshops with good attendance at Crazy Wisdom this past Fall. A highlight was the most recent workshop entitled "Give Your Relationship An Early Valentine's Present." Gary Chapman who wrote an interesting and practical book called The Five Love Languages says there are five major love languages, meaning five different ways to show love to your partner and likewise ways that you want love shown to you. They are: 1) acts of service, 2) gifts, 3) words of affirmation, 4) physical touch, and 5) quality time. Twelve couples identified their preferred "love languages" and made some suggestions for ways they would like to be shown love. The workshop consisted of a presentation, exercises, demonstration of the dialogue process, and group discussions. Folks felt it was of great benefit.

As for what's coming up ... I have two weekends for couples planned. I call the weekend that I give for couples, Discover a New Way to Love. The dates for the weekends for couples are: March 23 - 25 and May 18 - 20. See my website for more information about the weekend. Also, there are several workshops that I am giving at Crazy Wisdom this Spring which will be announced in this newsletter. Please check out the variety of featured offerings.

Note: For those of you who are parents or grandparents, I strongly encourage you to attend the Salon at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore on April 26th. Several parents and I will be on a panel talking about the ideas in the book by David Code called Kids Pick Up on Everything, How Parental Stress Is Toxic to Kids. We will share our personal challenges and experiences in attempting to lessen our own stress and in turn for those around us.

DANWTL Discover a New Way to Love,

a weekend workshop for couples

Ann Arbor

March 23 - 25, 2012 ~ May 18 - 20, 2012

Fri. 7pm-10:30 pm, Sat. 8:30 am-8 pm, Sun. 8:30 am-7 pm

Give your relationship a gift this Spring... whether you've been together 6 months, 5, 10, or 30 years, this weekend will offer you new tools and understanding that can help you co-create a closer, stronger coupleship. This workshop is based on the best selling book, Getting the Love You Want, by Dr. Harville Hendrix, founder of Imago relationship therapy.

Couples usually tend to focus on personal needs rather than relationship needs. Harville Hendrix, the founder of Imago relationship therapy, says that relationship difficulty unfortunately occurs when the relationship does not meet the needs of the individual. The cure for couples in trouble is to train couples to focus on their relationship as a priority rather than individual needs.

This may sound simplistic; it isn't. Couples don't have good role models nor were we furnished with an owner's manuel so we can gradually learn how to create a conscious relationship that fosters emotional connection and harmony.

Come to a couples weekend workshop to discover the hidden potential for growth, healing, and expansion in your relationship and for you individually.

Check website for more information or call 734.424.2797.

Salon - April 26, 2012 - 7 pm

Kids Pick Up on EVERYTHING

How Parental Stress Is Toxic to Kids

& What Parents Can Do About It

We fool ourselves if we think our children don't pick up on our stress. David Code, author of the book, Kids Pick Up on EVERYTHING, says, "Stressed parents create stressed children." His research and that of others is beginning to show that parental stress is the real toxin affecting children's health. Children can "catch" their parents' stress just like they catch a virus. When stress pervades a household, a child's nervous system can reach "overload." Code explains the medical research showing how parental stress is a major risk factor in today's epidemic of child health problems.

Code contends that the damage created by parental stress can be reversed. Research suggests that, when parents relax more, children begin to learn better and show less anger or fear and have fewer physical and emotional problems. Code appeals to parents to relax and socialize more! He is convinced from his research that healthy relationships are the best gift we can give our children.