Two-part relationship workshop starts Thursday

The COVID-19 pandemic can put a strain on relationships. A two-part workshop from the Mental Illness Task Force and the (Anti) Racism Task Force hopes to help retain relationships during conflict.

The first online workshop will be 1-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28. The second workshop will be 1-5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4. To register for the free workshops, visit momentumcentergh.org/retaining-relationships.

The workshops are aimed at helping with relationships between loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and all relationships everyone faces. Since the second workshop builds off the discussions of the first event, attendees must attend them both.

The interactive workshops include presentations, exercises for participants to practice at home, and participation feedback. The panelists include Ann McKnight, LMSW, ACSW, clinical social worker; Holly Jasinski, MS, RYT, resilience, safe and healthy intimate partner relationships specialist; and Sarah Lewakowski, MA, LLP, Mosaic Counseling.

The workshops stemmed from feedback from (Anti) Racism Task Force and Mental Illness Task Force meetings as people requested tools to have successful conversations and relationships.

“As we offer opportunities to engage in community conversation, we are often reminded of how polarized we have become about so many issues,” says Barbara Lee VanHorssen, experi-mentor at The Momentum Center for Social Engagement. “At a time when we need each other more than ever, we often find ourselves pulling away from or even cutting off important people in our lives because of our disagreements and the different ways we view the world around us.”

The workshops focus on the need to maintain healthy connections, she says. They will also discuss warning signs that tell someone when it’s time to walk away.

Those attending the workshops are encouraged to read “The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love” by Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller and “ My Grandmother's Hands” by Resmaa Menakem.

For details, visit momentumcentergh.org/.