"Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened. Don't open the door to the study and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument. Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." [Rumi] We offer various workshops in Petaluma, Northern California, for couples (sometimes for just women or men) that support embodied relationship and erotic partnership. Workshops are in a variety of formats such as a day-long or a series of six evenings. Current Offerings: Uncovering Desire A Day for Women with Low Sexual Desire Facilitated by Felicia Saturday March 20 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Petaluma, Northern California What happened to the passion for life that you once knew? When did you lose touch with your longing? When did lovemaking become a chore? On this first day of Spring, will explore both the biology and psychology of longing and sexual desire. Through discussion and creative embodiment exercises, we will investigate the barriers to desire. Then, tapping into the life energy humming all around us, we will seek to awaken our inherent passions. Don't miss this rare opportunity to join other courageous women as we take on this difficult topic. Location: 1 Bodega Ave, Petaluma CA Cost: $135 ($110 until 2/20/10) To register, call (707) 765-2518 CEU's available for LCSW's and MFT's Learn more about Felicia at FeliciaMattoShepard.com Embodied Relationship Relationship Training Through the Body Facilitated by Jim Saturdays March 13, 20, 27 & April 10, 17, 24 Petaluma, Northern California This series of six classes facilitates the development of capacities necessary for loving relationship. Participants will improve their embodied understanding of themselves in relationship, practice relationship skills and learn structures to strengthen and deepen relationships. The classes are designed to be effective for individuals and couples. Couples participating will have the added advantage of working through their couple dynamics, increasing their understanding of one another and being able to implement practices to their fullest effect. Each class will facilitate the embodiment of an essential capacity necessary for the creation and maintenance of satisfying, long-term relationships. We will begin with the capacity for self-reflection (mindfulness). And will then focus on truth, contact, trust, celebration and generosity. Each session will build on the last so that participants create an embodied template for loving relationship. Information on relationship dynamics and the structures for transformation will be presented in each class. Mindfulness-based verbal and movement practices will be used to increase awareness and understanding, as well as to try out new ways of being. The class is designed to create real development through a focus on embodiment. What is Embodiment? Embodiment is a path that views experience in the body as a doorway to growth and as necessary for a deeply satisfying life. By learning to be mindful of the body, we can identify what we want, see how habits we have learned stop us from getting what we want, and develop effective practices to actualize our deepest intentions. Why is Embodiment important in relationships? Life is lived through the body. When we love, we experience it in our bodies. When we are relaxed and open, we feel deeply in our bodies. When we feel emotional connection, we know it as an embodied experience. Trust, generosity, gratitude, and satisfaction, as well as all kinds of painful experiences happen in the body. It is possible, and in fact common, to separate thoughts from emotional, sensation-based and energetic experience in the body. This is not only inherently dissatisfying, it leads to various symptoms such as depression and compulsive behavior. By turning our attention to the embodied experience of our psychological makeup we can much more rapidly facilitate psychological change. By continuing to focus our attention on our embodied experience we can come to feel deep satisfaction with life. Embodiment is not so much a goal as a practice. It is a practice in experiencing life from the inside out, of being present, of accepting the truth of experience. Some have said it is "like coming home at last." Who Should Attend? Couples who want to break through stuck patterns of relationship Individuals who have had a difficult time sustaining a satisfying relationship Couples who want to deepen their intimacy (emotional and sexual) Individuals in relationship who want to improve their relationships Anyone who has found that verbal work in relationship is not enough When & Where? Classes will happen on six Saturday afternoons from 1:30 to 4:30 March 13, 20, 27, April 10, 17, 24 Bodyworks Yoga Studio, 490 Second (at G street), Petaluma, California. www.bodyworksyoga.com Price Classes are $55 each and participants must sign up for the entire series of six. Couples pay only $100 for each class. (Any two people may sign up as a couple. Bring a friend and you pay only $50 per class - less if you both pay up front.) Participants who pay for the entire series by February 7, 2010 receive a 10% discount ($297 for individuals, $540 for couples). To enroll call 707.762.1670 Synopsis: When we identify what is truly important and move toward what we want, limitations naturally present themselves. When we open to the truth of these limitations (ours and others) within the context of a conscious relationship, we create increased possibility for contacting others. As we develop increased contact we feel more trust, and more trust leads to more generosity. We can then celebrate our relationships in ways that increase self-understanding, trust, generosity, etc., and offers the satisfaction of competence, connection and communion. (CEUs are available for MFT's and LCSWs) Bio: Jim Matto-Shepard, Ph.D. (psy15031) is a licensed psychologist. He has created this class by bringing together his training in Generative Somatics www.somaticsandtrauma.org, Transformative Dance www.transformativedance.com, attachment-based couples therapy www.iceeft.com, differentiation theory www.couplesinstitute.com, and many other embodied approaches to transformation. Jim has over 700 hours of post graduate training in the above-listed modalities alone. Jim has thousands of hours of experience working with couples and groups. In addition to working with individuals and couples in his psychotherapy practice, he facilitates three weekly ongoing groups - Men & Women's group, Mens' group and Couples group. Learn more about Jim at drjms.com Top of Page www.afterthehoneymoon.org ©2010 Jim & Felicia Matto Shepard. All rights reserved. Website design by Henry Murray.