Beyond the Blowups: Simple Tools for Deeper Connection in Your Relationship

This workshop is part of the Emotional Fitness Studio in Annapolis, a year-round wellness initiative offering FREE monthly in-person workshops and experiences.

*PLEASE READ: Tickets for this event are free as part of our mission to support wellness in our community. However, spots are limited, so we kindly ask that you PLEASE only register if you plan to attend. This ensures we can reserve spaces for those who are eager to participate. Your understanding helps us make the most of this initiative—thank you!

In this Event:

Tired of having the same arguments with your partner? Many couples feel stuck in repeating patterns that leave them frustrated or disconnected. In this down-to-earth, 90-minute workshop, you’ll get a taste of practical tools from Relational Life Therapy (RLT) that can help you start shifting these patterns; no therapy degree required.
You’ll learn how to recognize what triggers your reactions, ways to pause before things escalate, and how to communicate honestly and kindly, even in tough moments. This session is a great starting point for building better habits and deeper connection, and you’ll leave with clear steps to try at home and a new perspective on what’s possible for your relationship. Come ready to reflect, laugh, and leave with tools.

This workshop is open to everyone. You may attend on your own or with your partner. You don’t need to be in a relationship to benefit—these skills support communication, emotional awareness, and connection in all types of relationships and stages of life.

About the Speaker:
Katharine Petzold, LCSW-C, Certified RLT Therapist & Bootcamp Facilitator
Katharine Petzold is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) with 9 years of clinical experience and advanced training in relational and trauma-informed modalities. She is a Certified Facilitator of Relational Life Therapy’s (RLT) Relationship Bootcamp and leads biannual intensive workshops to help individuals, couples, and the mental health professionals who work with them, build connection, accountability, and emotional intimacy. She is also certified in Discernment Counseling, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Level I), and holds specialized training in trauma treatment, Theraplay®, TF-CBT, and Collaborative Problem Solving. Her work is grounded in a compassionate, skills-based approach that integrates relational and neurobiological insights.
Risa Ganel, LCMFT, Certified RLT Therapist, Trainer & Bootcamp Facilitator
Risa facilitates relationship health through 2 Day Couples Intensives, Relationship Bootcamps, traditional Couples Therapy, and public speaking engagements. Her gifts blend wisdom with quiet strength and relationship science with empathic connection. She is skilled at being kind and fierce in the same breath, helping clients connect to the truth, transform conflict into connection, and establish the intimate relationships they long for.
In practice as a Couple and Family Therapist since 1994, Risa has served as Treasurer, President-Elect, and President of the Middle Atlantic Division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (MAD-AAMFT). In 2015 she was appointed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to serve on the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists and served as Chair of the Board from 2017-2020. Currently Licensed in both Maryland and Virginia and Certified in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), Risa teaches clinicians RLT as a Trainer for the Relational Life Institute (created by world-renowned therapist and author, Terry Real), she sees couples and individuals in her private practice, Together Couples Counseling.

The Organizer:

These wellness events are brought to you by Maria Winters, licensed mental health therapist and creator of the Emotional Fitness Studio in Annapolis, an initiative built on the belief that everyone deserves access to tools that can help us feel and live better. This work is made possible thanks to the support of amazing sponsors:

Thrive Gym https://www.thrivegym.org/

Premier Planning Group https://www.premierplanninggroup.com/

Thank you also to Swain Domain for partnering with the Emotional Fitness Studio and sharing your incredible talent in photography and videography. https://www.bethanyswain.net/

Questions? Contact Maria at (703)338-0017 or [email protected].

For the list of all events with The Emotional Fitness Studio, visit: https://thecoachingtherapist.com/emotional-fitness-studio/ and follow our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/share/g3mXNQheqCKu8vdD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Disclaimer: This workshop is intended for informational and personal wellness and development purposes only. It is not a substitute for therapy, Medic*tion, or mental health or medical treatment. If you need mental health or medical support, please consult a licensed therapist or medical professional.

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