Creating Safety, Connection, and Collaboration in Your Relationship

Creating Safety, Connection, and Collaboration in Your Relationship
A 90-minute online workshop with Marina Smerling, LMFT & Certified Trainer in Nonviolent Communication (NVC)

Relationships thrive when we feel safe, seen, and understood — yet many couples find themselves stuck in patterns of blame, withdrawal, or misunderstanding that make genuine closeness difficult. In this 90-minute online workshop, you’ll learn how to bring more safety, empathy, and collaboration into your relationship — even in moments of tension.

Through a blend of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and insights from the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT), we’ll explore:

• Practical tips to create an atmosphere of emotional safety and security with your partner
• Why collaboration (not competition) is essential for lasting connection
• How empathy helps both partners feel heard and supported, and bolsters the spirit of collaboration between them
• Practical tools for empathizing with your partner — and being open to their empathy in return

This workshop is warm, experiential, and down-to-earth, offering real skills you can bring into your everyday interactions.

About Marina:
Marina Smerling is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist here in Gainesville and a Certified Trainer in Nonviolent Communication (NVC). She brings over 10 years of experience supporting individuals and couples in deepening connection and understanding. Marina is also a student and practitioner of the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT), a cutting-edge model that integrates regulation, neuroscience, and attachment theory. While she is not a certified PACT therapist, Marina weaves insights from her PACT studies into this workshop to offer a fresh, integrative perspective on relational healing.

More info at Shameless Heart Therapy
www.shamelesshearttherapy.com/therapy-couples