Tools for Supporting Intimate Relationships in an AP Family

Takoma Attachment Parenting Presents: Tools for Supporting Intimate Relationships

Guest Speaker: Ryan McAllister

In a family with more than one adult, the relationships between the adults influences everyone in the family. At the same time, attending to the needs of a relationship can be challenging. This discussion aims to discuss principles and tools that are useful for supporting intimate relationships, as directed by the interest of the participants. Topics can include: navigating different kinds of conversations, supportive listening, love language, a theory of feelings, using observations and interpretations in conversations, a continuum from strategies to needs, implicit messages and tone escalation, ways of perceiving and expressing what you want; requests, demands, boundaries, and agreements; thresholds of intensity, a yes/no continuum; reconciliation styles; recognizing repair attempts; shame; relating across differences in marginalization; jealousy.
We'll probably only have time to explore a few, so think about which one(s) you're most interested in.

As always, we will reserve time during the meeting for general parenting questions and discussion.

About the facilitator, Ryan McAllister: My interest and passions lie in community and relationships. I co-founded and live at Maitri House, an intergenerational intentional community -- a single, co-owned house with about 18 residents including my adult daughter who has "profound" developmental differences. With NotJustSkin.org, I facilitate workshops on relationships and parenting skills, advocate for access to midwifery and humanistic maternity care, and draw concerned attention to unnecessary surgeries. I also work as a biophysicist and a Research Professor at Georgetown University. Two of my maternity care reform efforts, "UnBreaking Birth" and "Circumcision: An Elephant in the Hospital" are available on youtube.

Come join other families for a supportive and non-judgmental parent-to-parent facilitated discussion!