Relationship Tip of the Month: Train Your Brain to Listen Better By Meredith Janson     Your partner's talking to you. You're listening, but maybe with one ear. The other ear is too busy focusing on a million other things -- the errands you need to run; the kids you need to corral; the to-do list you need to check off. Our internal distractions are often so loud that they block out most of what others are saying to us. But don't blame yourself -- this is hard-wired behavior. Our brains were designed to receive messages at warp speed. (We speak at about 125 words per minute, while we're able to listen and process information at about four times that rate.) The solution: Set aside several minutes each day to sit in a quiet place, where you focus on nothing but your breathing. Imagine that your frazzled mind is a glass of sandy water that's been shaken. When you let the glass sit for a few minutes, the sand settles to the bottom and the water clears. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that practicing even small doses of daily reflection improves the ability to focus attention. After a few weeks, you'll find it much easier to turn your attention where you want, whenever you want.

BLOG CENTRAL      We regularly update our blog page with the latest developments in psychology and relationships. Check out these recent highlights: Stacy Notaras Murphy  writes about self-care for parents; Hollywood's marriage fantasies; Oprah's Imago endorsement; and the challenges of planning a mixed-faith wedding.   Meredith Janson offers tips for improving emotional well-being by expressing uncomfortable emotions. Robert Gordon looks at Emotional Freedom Technique, which integrates Western psychology and Eastern healing traditions. Ginny Graham explores the difference between an addiction and a pastime; and recommends books on male psychology and parenting. Nathan Gehlert discusses working with couples who have dealt with video game addiction.

NEWS & NOTES Nathan Gehlert took part in a two-day meeting at the home of renowned relationship researchers John and Julie Gottman, with Imago founder Harville Hendrix and other researchers. Nathan and the Imago research team are working to officially establish Imago as an evidence-based practice. We'll cover more of this story in next month's newsletter.  Kathleen Scheg will launch a new Wednesday Releasing and Transforming Anger series on September 7. The 15-week program will run from 8:00-9:15pm in our Takoma Park office. Kathleen will also begin a new Friday course for Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families on September 23. Level One of this class runs for 6 weeks, from 5:30-7:00pm in our Takoma Park office. Contact Kathleen at 202-449-3789 x710. Our " Getting the Love You Want" workshops for couples led by Carl Siegel and Rebecca Sears can serve as excellent premarital preparation or as a way to supercharge a couple's ongoing marriage counseling. The two-day course offers the equivalent of 6 months in couples counseling work. The next workshop will be September 10-11 at the Washington Theological Union in Takoma Park, DC. Please call Carl for more information at 202-449-3789 x701. Rebecca Sears offers two training opportunities for clinicians. September 14-17, she'll begin a Basic Clinical Training in her Dupont Circle office, for those interested in becoming certified Imago Relationship Therapists. Click here for more information. On Oct. 7-8, Rebecca will join Harville Hendrix in presenting Flexible Access Clinical Training, a 2-day introduction to Imago, at Loyola University in Columbia, MD. Contact Loyola's Monique Daniels for more information at 410-617-7608 or mcdaniels@loyola.edu. Mark your calendars! Cindy Bare and Kevin Berrill will lead the next Start Right/Stay Connected premarital workshop on October 29 from 9am-5:30pm. To learn more about the program, click here. To register, email Shelly Webb or call her at 410-409-9423. Robert Gordon, core faculty member at the Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts, recently taught Service in All Arenas of Life, a core course in the Masters' degree program in Transformative Leadership and Social Change. This course teaches principles and practices for becoming skillful leaders in the domains of family, friendships, workplace, organizations and community.

The Pastoral Counseling and Consultation Center of Greater Washington
7003 Piney Branch Road, NW | Washington DC, 20012
7 Convenient Locations in DC Metro Area
www.pastoralcounselingdc.com | 202-449-3789