Occasionally the Lyons offer a workshop on Partnering.
Check back for dates or contact Ann or Keith.

Listen: Each partner explores the different levels of attending, learning to focus on the other in a meaningful way. The couple discovers that all “listening” is not created equal! But listening must become active to move to the next step.

Understand: Using Active-Listening skills, each partner learns to voice his/her thoughts and feelings. When each partner feels his/her message has been accurately heard, there is a new sense of being valued, respected and accepted. Acceptance does not necessarily mean agreement. Rather, it acknowledges each partner’s individual experience as valid. This understanding is the key to successful problem-solving and conflict resolution and it is one of the most important ways we can show caring.

Trust: Feeling acceptance and understanding from one’s partner greatly reduces defensive reactions and allows for sharing of more vulnerable experiences. Thus, each partner feels safe and the ability to trust the other begins to grow.

Love: Trust is the cornerstone for nurturing a couple’s intimacy. With accurate communication and a sense of trust, the increase in intimacy provides a fertile field in which love can grow. As important as a physical relationship can be, intimacy is also the sharing of one’s emotional self. With this emotional connection we experience love.

Enjoy: When we hear the intended message from our partner; experience the validation of being understood; trust our more vulnerable selves with our partner; the love between us is nurtured, and we have more time, energy and inclination to have fun together! ©