CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
AN ONLINE SEMINAR
BY ANNA S.
Currents: “What is different about leading your group
in person versus online?”
Anna: “I’ve offered relationship workshops since 2016,
and we discuss topics that are very close. When talking face-to-face, I monitor the group, mostly for
non-verbal clues, to make sure not to hurt anyone. If needed, I can offer a glass of water or an exercise to
allow a participant to restore balance. This is a challenge online. And I miss our hugs and photos afterwards.”
CREATING CONNECTIONS
In April 2020 I started a series of virtual workshops about
relationships on Zoom. I am not tech-savvy, but I decided to give
it a try. The first webinar took place on Thursday, April 9, and
from my perspective was a disaster. Despite several successful
advance trials, I could not share my presentation, as Zoom did
not allow me to share my desktop. It took me time and sweat to
fight through this misery while the participants used the time to
chat about other projects. Thank you, ladies, for your patience. I
was saved by Christine R., who at the end shared my presentation
from her computer.
The second webinar on April 30 was a cozy meeting with five
amazing participants who could see each other on the screen
in gallery view. Seeing everyone on the screen was incredible,
because what we miss in isolation is not the thoughts or words
of another person but seeing and hearing (and here I mean the
tone of voice and the expression of the eyes) how this person
is, in this very moment. We miss these encounters and mutual
experiences. And I am grateful to have discovered Zoom.
We discussed close relationships and their uniqueness and
touched upon how these relationships, when they really work,
reduce fears, improve well-being, and buffer from stress and
adversity. We also discussed how we grow out of our birth families
and carry the rules on how to connect and how to trust. We were
physically separated, but it felt very close, even intimate. Thank
you, Emilia, Susan, Christine, and Holly for being so warm and
supportive.
Reviews of the Seminar
Dear Anna, thank you very much for the
seminar today. It is very useful to hear
the latest science on relationships, stress,
and other topics. Competent and well
prepared, it was a pleasure to participate
in and to listen to you and the other
participants.
From Emilia J.
Having Anna walk us through the
relationship topic helped bring to the
surface something that had been causing
me stress for a while. Anna’s clear and
simple approach helped me to open
and tap my way through a long overdue
conversation on a couple of tricky topics
with my husband that left us both feeling
better and closer. Thanks so much!
From Holly T.
Anna, I always appreciate your seminars;
not just ideas or concepts but actual
instructions...I found it very reassuring
to know we can change patterns of
learned behavior, and the first step, of
course, is to have our eyes opened as to
why we do what we do. Only then can we
consciously make a change in our lives. I
thank you once again for nudging me in
the right direction.
From Susan S.W.
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