Manchester Psychotherapy is not all about counselling in Manchester. I also present workshops for couples and they are a great way of learning about your relationship. I have recently added a workshop section to my website so I can keep everyone informed of what workshops are on over the next few months. But why should you be interested in going on a workshop?
Here are five good reasons why I think workshops rock!
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Workshops are great value for money. When you look at the price of a workshop initially they may seem expensive but let’s cost them out. If you spent the whole day having therapy then you would be looking at paying around £350 (and your brain may be a bit frizzled too). Most workshops cost about £200 a day so you are saving yourself a fair few quid.
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Workshops are fun! Imago workshops are great fun and it’s important to realise that relationships are about emphasizing the pleasure aspect of your relationship as well as sorting out the frustrations. If you think of the strange way in which we can behave when in a relationship then it’s great to recognise this and laugh about it. It makes it that bit easier to change.
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You get to work with some of the biggest names in Relationship Therapy. Many of the workshops are run by international presenters who have flown in especially to present the workshop. These are the rock stars of the relationship therapy world, the relationship therapy equivalent of having a singing lesson with Beyoncé! Joe Kort (workshop in May for gay and lesbian couples) is internationally recognized as an authority on gay and lesbian issues and has applied his expertise to the “getting the love you want” standard format to produce a great learning experience for couples attending that workshop – grab your opportunity to take part while you can! Sophie Slade is training and presenting workshops across the globe and has decades of experience in relationship therapy. She is also a warm, accepting woman with a fantastic sense of humour. When she comes to London and Bristol in autumn you would do well to take the opportunity to work with her.
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You learn a lot and learn it quickly. When attending a workshop you get a day’s worth of information that all links together and participate in activities throughout the day. If you come to me for therapy I will be giving you some of the same information but it’s a lot harder for me to make it flow together simply because you will also be doing therapy and there are one week gaps between each session. Workshops can give you a great understanding of the Imago way of doing things quickly and coherently. If you are having Imago relationship therapy then the “getting the love you want” workshop or my “start right stay connected” premarital workshop will accelerate your therapy experience and help you understand more clearly why we do things a set way in the Imago dialogue process.
- You get to be with other people like you. Workshops involve being part of a group and so you get to see other people practise Imago dialogue and hear other people’s stories. This is great for normalising your relationship issues because it’s likely that lots of other people have the same problems as you in their relationship too. In my “Start right, Stay connected” premarital workshop you will be participating with other couples who have decided to get married or have a civil partnership. It gives you an opportunity to swap information with likeminded couples and have a laugh at familiar issues that come up around planning the big day.
There are many workshops available for couples and I do my best to put them on my website as soon as I hear about them. My “Start right, stay connected” workshop for premarital couples will be taking place in August and has limited places. Book early to avoid missing out!
Read the book: Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples by Harville Hendrix explains the Imago Relationship theory in full. It’s a great read and will help you move from power struggle to conscious relationship.
