A simple and effective 6-week Coaching Program that offers a structured framework for addressing issues, navigating challenges, and finding common ground.

Instead of couples turning toward each other, they turn away. The loss of intimacy, understanding, and affection that often accompanies the breakdown of communication leads to an emotional distance that is hard to bridge. Without an avenue to express needs and work through conflict in a constructive way, relationships can become strained and entrenched in a deluge of despair and uncertainty. The very foundation of the relationship is weakened by feelings of isolation, mistrust, and loneliness leaving couples vulnerable to outside temptations.

The good news is that with the right tools, couples can learn how to better communicate and resolve conflict in a healthy way.

You will learn how to do the following from this training:

• Resolve conflicts and issues
• Negotiate needs and wants
• Get to the underlying cause of contention
• Develop listening skills resulting in deeper, more attentive listening
• Identify and address unmet needs
• Create space to be vulnerable
• Speak your truth
• Respond to your partner intuitively, skillfully, and thoughtfully

A Transformative Coaching Program

Taking the risk to be vulnerable with each other, opens up a world of possibility You expose yourself to new levels of courage and understanding that can only come from deep and honest expression. Such honesty requires immense trust in one another and can lead to profound feelings of closeness and security within the relationship. You take a deep dive into truth-telling and reveal what you are really thinking, feeling, wanting, and needing.

In this training, you will learn how to:

Take Ownership

Couples take ownership of their own feelings, thoughts, and judgments and learn to recognize when these are getting in the way of resolving issues.

Identify Behaviors and Attitudes That Create Road Blocks Such As:

• Judgment
• Interpretation
• Defensiveness
• Reactive Emotion.

Develop Relational Skills

Couples develop relational skills and conscious awareness that help separate facts from judgments allowing for more choice in how to respond to situations.

Emotional Intelligence

Instead of a reactive tendency, couples become more equipped with language and understanding in their interaction with one another. You will learn:

• Issues are mostly disguised as unmet needs. Identifying the unmet meet and being curious about what the other is feeling broadens your understanding
• Who has the unmet need, owns the issue, and the subsequent feelings and reactions associated with that issue
• A soft approach is ultimately more effective. Being able to step back, challenge your assumptions, and approach your partner in a soft, moderate tone is the cornerstone of conflict resolution.
• There are two roles at play in the relationship: a Receiver and a Sender. The sender is the one with the issue. The receiver supports and listens. Being in flow with this dynamic dance strengthens the relationship bond
• Focusing on one issue at a time is key to productive communication and more conducive to a successful outcome
• Cultivating a supportive environment for open communication. Being curious, practicing active listening, asking open-ended questions, and supporting compassionately by mirroring back and really wanting to understand what the sender’s issue is
• Ask for what you need. Learning how to articulate your needs more clearly is the basis for building a strong foundation of trust and understanding and laying the groundwork for thoughtful and constructive conversation
• Nurture the Space between you makes for a deeper connection. The emotional atmosphere between you is the space where this relationship lives. Without clean and effective communication the space between you becomes polluted if it is not nurtured regularly
• Skillful Negotiation that assumes a win-win. It doesn’t have to be either, or, when both needs are met the relationship flourishes
• Conscious Choice. You have a choice in how to handle an issue. Choosing what works, and doing it over and over as opposed to repeating unproductive patterns, develops the skill of being able to restore connection anytime you need to, which is central to a successful relationship.

The Communication Map Is All You Need

Using the Communication Map can help you to identify and communicate issues clearly and make  constructive requests. You learn not to take the sender’s issue personally but to support them with whatever issue they are experiencing in a caring and compassionate way.

Using the steps outlined in the Communication Map ensures that both parties feel heard. It is a simple, effective, and practical tool for reconnecting with your partner when there is an unmet need or issue.

Cultivating a supportive atmosphere is crucial for managing emotional reactivity and being able to bounce back from the inevitable Road Blocks that come your way. The Communication Map is all you need to effectively address everyday issues, tackle larger concerns, and prevent or resolve conflict. With more stability and understanding you can enjoy your life together and grow your love, trust, connection, and intimacy.

I believe that Couples Coaching requires experience, knowledge, and a wide range of effective and well-developed communication skills. As a Couples Coach, I aspire to live up to these standards by delivering training that is both impactful, and transformational. My professional values can be summed up as follows:

COMMITMENT. I am committed to ensuring that you receive value as well as practical and usable relational skills.

HUMAN DIGNITY. I have a deep sense of humanity and a sincere desire to help you succeed. Clients are my ultimate priority which reflects in the safe, caring, and non-judgmental space I create in my coaching practice.

HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. These define who I am at the core of my being. My word is my bond and you will always experience congruence between my words and actions. I adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics in all interactions.

On a Personal Note

My greatest achievement and what I am most proud of is being a mum to my two adult children, Andre’ and Sharna. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching your kids go off into the world well-grounded and with a degree of decency and goodness that would make any mama extremely proud.

Some of my favorite things include cycling, reading, working out, trying out healthy recipes, daily singing, and dancing, and yes, I sometimes use a hairbrush as a mic! I enjoy philosophical debates, hanging out with friends, and a regular dose of the simple things in life like long walks in nature, Saturdays on Chicago’s lakefront, I love flowers and the scent of essential oils.

Summary of Qualifications/Education

Personal Transformation Coaching Program (distinction), Animas Centre for Coaching, U.K. August 2013.
Professional Health Coach, Health Coach Training, July 2014 (U.S)
Clinical Foundations in Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1: February 2018, Level 2: February 2018 (U.S)
Trained Gottman 7 Principles Educator, March 2018 (U.S)
Relationship Coach, Relationship Coaching Institute, August 2019. (U.S)
Infidelity Recovery Coach, March 2020 (U.S)
Mindfulness Training, November 2021 – Positive Psychology.com

INTAKE SESSION

Couples Coaching is truly a transformative process that can give you the tools to create the relationship you desire. But some heavy lifting may be involved and unless you’re ready, open, committed, and fully engaged, you won’t reap the rewards and gain the full value of this coaching program. To help me assess your personal readiness and commitment all couples are required to complete an Intake Session in the form of a 45- minute call with me over the telephone. It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and find out more about the program.

Program Cost

6-week Coaching Program: $1,499 

PRICES IN U.S DOLLAR

Please click the button below to schedule an Intake Session. Feel free to reach out to me at: michelle@yourtimetoshine.life