Workshops
Free monthly workshops
for couples & individuals.
Online, open to anyone, led by our California telehealth clinicians. Practical tools you can bring back to your relationship the same week. No pressure, no upsell, we use these as a way to teach, connect, and give back.
What's next
Also held Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM PT.
Underneath the Resentment: Attachment Wounds, Blame, and the Way Back to Each Other
Most couples don't have a resentment problem; they have an attachment-wound problem. Resentment is what builds when those wounds get triggered enough times, when requests don't get heard, when the emotional labor stays unequal, and when one or both partners default to defensiveness because vulnerability stopped feeling safe. In this 60-minute workshop, Michelle walks through how resentment actually forms in long-term couples, why the "you caused this, you fix it" stance keeps both partners stuck, and what it takes to move from blame to vulnerability without anyone having to perform forgiveness they don't feel. The aim isn't to forget what happened, or to talk yourself out of being hurt. It's to learn how to shelve resentment without letting it run the relationship, to hold the wound without letting one triggered moment rewrite the whole history of your partnership.
What we'll cover
- Unequal emotional labor and how it quietly builds resentment
- Attachment wounds and what triggers them in long-term partnership
- Chronic defensiveness, and why vulnerability stops feeling safe
- Moving from blame to vulnerability: owning your own role in the cycle
- The "you caused this, you fix it" stance, and why it keeps couples stuck
- Shelving resentment without forgetting, suppressing, or letting it thrive
- Triggers don't rewrite history: one moment vs. the long story of the relationship
Good fit for
- Couples stuck in a cycle of blame, defensiveness, and unequal emotional labor
- Partners who can name the resentment but don't know what to do with it
- Couples ready to move from "you fix it" to a shared way through
Led by Michelle Cortez, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #146795 · Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093 at My Mental Climb.
RSVP on MeetupWe hold each topic twice, usually about a month apart, before rotating to a new topic. The next one is shaped by what attendees ask for. Suggest a topic on Meetup.
About the series
Why we host these.
Therapy is not always the first step, for a lot of couples and individuals, coming to a free workshop is. You get a sense of how we teach, what we care about, and whether we're the kind of clinicians you'd want in a room with your relationship.
Each workshop is 60 minutes. We lead with a specific topic (trauma responses, conflict escalation, connection rituals, attachment patterns), walk through the clinical framework, and give you practical tools you can use that week. Questions are welcome.
We hold each workshop topic twice, roughly a month apart, before rotating to a new topic. The next topic is shaped by what attendees are asking about. If there's something you'd like us to cover, tell us on the Meetup group or on your consult.
Workshops are hosted through the Get Connected for Couples Workshop Meetup group. Joining the group is the best way to be notified about new workshops, we announce new topics there first.
Free to attend. Open to couples, individuals, clinicians, and anyone wanting to understand their relationships more deeply.
Past workshops
Where we've been.
Also held Thursday, April 30, 2026.
It's Not Just the Fight: How Trauma Shows Up in Your Relationship
Led by Jalyse Stewart
The four trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) — and how they drive conflict cycles between partners. Practical tools for emotional safety, regulation, and repair.
Topics covered
- —Why your biggest fights are rarely about the surface issue
- —The four trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) between partners
- —Attachment patterns and recurring conflict cycles
- —Emotional safety in conflict
- —Practical regulation and repair strategies
Also held Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
Managing Conflict Without Losing Each Other
Led by Michelle Cortez
A skills-based workshop on conflict escalation, nervous system regulation, and post-disagreement repair. Not about avoiding conflict — about moving through it without harming the relationship.
Topics covered
- —Recognizing escalation signs early
- —Understanding anger and reactivity cycles
- —De-escalation tools for nervous system regulation
- —Disrupting recurring conflict patterns
- —Setting realistic conflict expectations
- —Post-disagreement repair techniques
Also held Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Connected Conversations for Couples
Led by Christina Mathieson
Practical tools, guided exercises, and a shared roadmap for staying connected — even when life gets messy or busy.
Topics covered
- —Communication patterns and clarity
- —Conflict navigation and resolution
- —Shared emotional language
- —Connection rituals and intentional planning
- —Emotional safety and mutual support
Stay in the loop
Two ways to stay connected.
Join the Meetup group
Get notified when new workshops are scheduled. Free to join, no commitment.
Join on MeetupWant 1:1 work?
If a workshop topic resonated and you want to go deeper, a free 15-minute consult is a no-pressure next step.
Book free consult