Institute for Relational Intimacy

I'm looking for topic suggestions! Every year, I offer one free training, in the late winter/early spring. I’m starting to plan it now – and I’d love to hear from you about what would help you in your practice. In the past, I’ve covered shame, sexual trauma, midlife sexuality, and more, all inspired by questions you and your colleagues sent in. The webinar I’m currently planning will be completely free–and even if I don’t pick your topic for a webinar, it might inspire a blog post! Please fill out the form at the link below: https://lnkd.in/g63Qmvua

Check out my conversation with Jessa over at Better Sex Podcast, released today! We talk all about agreements in relationships, whether monogamous or polyamorous. From building trust to renegotiating established agreements, it's a rich and complex topic. Find the episode at the link below, or wherever you get podcasts: https://lnkd.in/g5TSfNAc

“Behavioral change applies to situations in which your client maybe just hasn’t thought about their other options, but putting a different choice into practice is easy to implement, as soon as they’re aware of the possibility. [Developmental change] requires an expansion of your client’s relational capacity. It’s an evolution, not a lightswitch.” Sometimes our clients need the former, but often they need the latter. It’s hard work, but so worth it. Developmental change can help us become the people we truly want to be in our relationships and in the world. Learn more in this blog post! https://lnkd.in/g4EJNnbA

 “For many, sexuality is an important source of joy, connection, pleasure, and aliveness.” Older people are often desexualized and their desires and eroticism are dismissed and ignored. How can we resist that social messaging? In this column you will find some ideas for letting our sexuality continue to bloom as we age. https://lnkd.in/g5QzAJtH Image: a pale skinned older couple lies in bed, smiling at each other. The woman, on the left, has short gray hair and a white t-shirt. The man, on the right, has short white hair and a long full beard. He is wearing a gray t-shirt. The bed has a large wooden headboard and a cover with a gray zig-zag pattern.

Have you ever wanted my direct input on your cases with polyamorous clients? If you enroll now in Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions, you’ll be done with the course in time to join my consensual non-monogamy consulting group. The course is self-serve, and waiting for you the moment you sign up; it will give you all the grounding you need to join in on the rich discussions we have in the discussion group. https://lnkd.in/g4hXGGRn

What are people saying about my teaching: “What Martha teaches about polyamory is such important information for all therapists to learn. It is clear that she stands out as a specialist in this area of work. Our profession needs her expertise at a time when there are few trainings to address this issue.”  -Lori Weisman, MA, LMHC—Bellevue, Washington Join the Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions course now to find out for yourself! https://lnkd.in/g4hXGGRn

Do you know how to recognize some of the common ways people’s self-protective strategies sabotage the agreement-making process in polyamorous relationships? For all the therapists who are looking to increase their clinical skill with non-monogamous clients, I’d love to welcome you to my course, Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions. This course outlines my approach to working with CNM relationships. It’s suitable for beginners – but it’s also quite deep. So, whether you’re just starting out, or have lots of familiarity with CNM, I think you’ll find a lot to chew on. Join the course now to expand your knowledge in this area! Image: three women with short hair, embracing and smiling at the camera. The women in back has gray hair and darker skin, the woman in the middle has dark hair and medium tan skin, and the woman in front is blonde with fair skin. https://lnkd.in/g4hXGGRn

The topics you’ll need to discuss when considering opening up can raise a lot of uncomfortable emotions. How can you stay calm, steady, and connected, even when you’re feeling that discomfort? I’d like to share a key concept that can help: content vs. process. The former is what you discuss, and the latter is how you discuss it. Having a patient, open-minded approach to the process is more important than exactly what content is being discussed. Get the full scoop in my column. Image: A young couple sitting cross-legged on the beach in bright sunlight. A pale man with long red hair in a ponytail is on the left. He has glasses and is wearing a gray sweatshirt, jeans, and white sneakers. A tan woman with a blonde afro sits in profile on the right. She is wearing glasses, a green sweatshirt, jeans, and white converse. https://lnkd.in/gb-Zq25k

Choosing a partner isn’t just about the other person. Without a few key relational skills, we can sabotage our own search for connection! Following up on my January column on how to pick a partner, this column asks some key questions to help you with this work. Image: two women with brown skin sit facing each other on big, brown, leather armchairs. The woman on the left has short, dark, curly hair, and she is wearing a white blouse and jeans. She is holding a clear mug of tea. The woman on the right has very close cut blonde hair. She is wearing big gold hoop earrings, a baggy yellow sweater, and jeans. They look like they're having a delightful conversation. https://lnkd.in/gD7UUMDM