Live Workshop · Dates TBC

Staying Connected Under Stress

Turn Pressure into Partnership with the CONNECT Framework

Most couples think they're here to fix communication. You're actually here to learn how relationships work.

A 4-hour, in-person workshop for couples who are ready to understand — and change — the pattern behind their pressure.

Dates coming soon

309 George St, Sydney CBD

Join the list to be first to know

The Reframe

Stress doesn't just make life harder. It makes it harder to stay connected.

Under pressure, you become —

Quicker to snap
Slower to listen
Easier to misread each other's intentions

Most couples arrive believing something is broken between them. It usually isn't.

What's actually happening is more specific, and far more fixable: you're stuck in a pattern — a predictable cycle of trigger, protest, and shutdown that repeats itself, often about completely different topics, again and again.

Communication is simply the language your relationship speaks. This workshop teaches you how the relationship itself works — so changing the conversation gets a lot easier.

Sound familiar?

What You'll Leave With

By the end of the day, you and your partner will...

Understand why you keep having the same argument, even when it's "about" different things
Recognise your own relationship pattern — and your partner's
Learn how stress and the nervous system quietly run the show before either of you says a word
Practise a different way of communicating, live, with guided support in the room
Walk out with your own CONNECT Action Plan — a written commitment built from your day, not a generic worksheet

Is This For You?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur

This workshop is for you if...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing
Elit sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore
Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate

This isn't for you if...

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident
Sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim
Id est laborum sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis
Iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium

How the Day Works

A full day, three parts

9:00am

Part 1

Welcome & the CONNECT Framework
Why Good Couples Get Stuck

Why relationships get hard, how stress affects connection, and why you keep repeating the same argument.

10:10–10:20am

Short break

10:20am

Part 2

Breaking the Pattern

The most hands-on part of the day. Learn how to pause before the pattern takes over, practise communicating differently with real support in the room, and notice the small moments that build — or quietly erode — connection.

11:50am–12:30pm

Lunch provided

12:30pm

Part 3

Building a Stronger Relationship

From fixing problems to building habits. Learn how to repair fast after the inevitable rupture, reconnect to what you're building together, and leave with small daily habits designed to actually stick — plus your personal CONNECT Action Plan.

1:40pm

Workshop ends

What's Included & Investment

Everything you need for the day

$365

Per couple, inc. GST

A full day of guided, in-person facilitation
The CONNECT Workbook
Your personal Relationship Action Plan
Lunch (sandwiches, fruit, tea & coffee)
A copy of From Conflict to Connection (e-book)

For context: a single 60-minute individual counselling session is $264. This is a full day of guided work for both of you, together, for less than the cost of two individual sessions.

Led by Allyson Iriarte, B.Couns — PACFA-registered Clinical Counsellor, trained in the Gottman Method and NLP.

Places are limited to protect the quality of live coaching during Part 2 — this is a small room, not a lecture hall.

FAQ

Questions before you register

Is this couples therapy?

No. It's a psychoeducational workshop — practical, guided, and grounded in real therapeutic frameworks, but it's not a substitute for individual or couples counselling. Many couples do both.

What if only one of us wants to come?

The workshop is designed for both partners to attend together — the practice exercises are built around pairs. If your partner isn't ready yet, individual or couples counselling might be a better starting point.

Do we need to be married, engaged, or together a long time?

No. This workshop is for any couple who wants to understand their relationship pattern better — however long you've been together.

Is what we share confidential?

Yes. We set a clear confidentiality norm at the start of the day: what's shared at your table stays at your table. You're never asked to share personal details with the whole room.

We're already pretty happy — is this still for us?

Yes. Many couples come to strengthen a good relationship, not just repair a struggling one. Understanding your pattern is useful whether things are hard right now or not.

What if we're going through something serious right now?

This workshop is best suited to everyday relationship stress and pattern work, not acute crisis. If you're currently navigating something serious — betrayal, safety concerns, or a relationship crisis — please reach out directly first so we can talk about what's the right fit.

What should we bring?

Just yourselves. Workbooks, pens, and all materials are provided.

What's the cancellation policy?

Our cancellation policy will be confirmed and published here once the workshop date is locked in.

Where is it held?

309 George St, Sydney CBD (Mezzanine, via Gathr).

How many couples attend?

Numbers are kept small so everyone gets real support during the practice sections — not a large lecture-style event.

Breaking the cycle, rebuilding closeness, one conversation at a time.

Get In Touch

+61 468 202 773

[email protected]

Location

Sydney CBD, near Wynyard Station
Online across Australia

Privacy Policy Terms of Service

Staying Connected Under Stress