Provide practical information, accessible research, and easy-to-use tools to identify and pursue your goals, alleviate challenges, and answer questions (e.g., whether or not to stay together, and improve relationship satisfaction and effectiveness).
RELATIONSHIPS
Reconnect, repair, and renew:
Rhona has been helping personal and professional relationships thrive for more than a dozen years. She coaches diverse Relationship Systems—any grouping of two or more people—with a focus on couples, including parents, as well as family members and business partners. Rhona offers practical guidance and tools to improve communication, and shift from disconnection and disruptive conflict to greater fulfillment.
In her work with couples, Rhona helps clients find effective ways to reconnect and deepen connection, and delivers practical communication and conflict skills around diverse topics, including but not limited to: compatibility, finances, division of labor (e.g., housework, childcare), trust, conflict avoidance, commitment, (loss of) attraction, personality and other differences (e.g., religion, neurodiversity), life transitions and goals, relationship anxiety or distress, work-home balance, sex and intimacy, parenting, and extended family and friendships. Business partners often seek Rhona’s assistance with organizational struggles, team-conflict, conflict avoidance, interpersonal challenges, hiring strategies, alignment of leadership styles among the senior team, and employee management.
Whether personal or professional in nature, Rhona knows that even the best relationships are hard at times, and benefit from productive and empowering ways to tackle poor communication, unskilled fights, conflict avoidance, and relationship anxiety, stress, or stagnation. Drawing on insights from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, organizational development, and life and executive coaching, and viewing your relationship through a strengths-based lens, Rhona imparts relationship advice and tools as applicable to your personal as professional bonds.
Rhona believes in the importance of strategic planning for relationships, and helps clients take a deep dive into their values to facilitate that visioning and growth process. With her assistance, you shift from unskilled conflict and negative communication to greater collaboration, connection, understanding, negotiation, goal-setting, and fulfillment. Rhona’s job is more guide than consultant, more facilitator than expert. Much as you yearn for a coach (or therapist* or consultant) to “fix” your relationship once and for all—or, better yet, fix whomever you’re in relationship with—Rhona will:
Tailor coaching to your unique personal or professional relationship and the priorities most meaningful to you.
Share insights, research, and skills applicable to every relationship, not just the one you address in coaching.
Explore differences–for example, around finances, sex, commitment, attraction, housework, religion, neurodiversity–to clarify next steps, increase respect and empathy, and enhance personal and relationship satisfaction.
Rhona is a graduate of the Center for Right Relationship’s Organization & Relationship Systems Coaching program and is certified by the Coaches Training Institute (now the Co-Active Training Institute). She is also a Gottman Workshop Leader for The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work and an Educator for the Gottman Bringing Baby Home program. Rhona completed: BeAbove Leadership’s Seven Levels of Human Relationship training, Sue Johnson’s Hold Me Tight workshop, Level 1 of the Couples Institute’s Developmental Model training, and the ND Compass Training for Professionals (a program for therapists and relationship coaches who work with neurodiverse couples). Rhona is a provider for the Enhanced Gottman Relationship Check-Up, an online assessment of couples’ strengths and challenges, and is credentialed as a Professional Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation.
* Rhona provides online coaching. In-person, online, virtual or remote Relationship Coaching is distinct from yet overlaps with Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling. While seasoned Relationship Coaches can capably help you resolve many relationship challenges, Rhona refers out to, collaborates, or consults with qualified therapists (including couples therapists), marriage counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists when clients grapple with active addiction(s), mental illness, childhood trauma, or abuse. For more information on the overlap between individual and relationship coaching and therapy, including couples therapy and marriage counseling, please see the FAQs.
I refer couples to Rhona Berens with great confidence in her understanding of relationship dynamics and ability to provide effective perspectives and tools. She is both warmly compassionate and really smart, a winning combination!
Tina Stanley L.C.S.W.Sebastopol, CA
We have been very fortunate to have Rhona as our relationship coach. She is very insightful, intelligent and passionate. She was able to help us recognize relationship toxins that were sabotaging our relationship. Most importantly, Rhona creates a comfortable and safe environment for couples. She was there for both of us, never taking sides or making judgments; helping us understand the other person’s point of view. It is very hard to say in a few words the positive impact her coaching has brought to our lives. Thanks, Rhona!
Monica & WillVancouver, Washington
I began working with Rhona six years ago after meeting her at a workshop where I said: “I need help improving my marriage. There is just one caveat, my husband is not comfortable with therapy or coaching. Can you help me?” Thankfully, Rhona said yes and, last spring, my husband and I celebrated our tenth anniversary in Rome.
ValorieSan Antonio, Texas
Rhona has a very strong ability to listen to the concerns at hand and quickly formulate a customized game plan for success. Also, her strong listening skills make us feel heard and understood. She started us back on the road of unconditional love.
JuliaLos Angeles, California
When my clients ask for a referral for couples support, I always think of Rhona. Her insight, compassion and ability to attune to others are at the heart of her work. The care and understanding she provides are extremely helpful and her clients are the better for it.
Gabrielle Kaufman, MA,LPCC,BC-DMT,NCC,PMH-CLos Angeles, CA
Before working with Rhona, my husband and I had locked horns and couldn’t see our way out of gridlock. Rhona’s coaching helped us turn our conflict into opportunities to practice new ways to communicate and essentially turn toward each other, not away. I was impressed by how skillfully Rhona held onto and guided what seemed to be complicated conversations, and then responded with tact, wisdom, and neutrality. I can easily say that working with Rhona not only saved our marriage, but it added to my toolbox invaluable skills that I’ll draw on for the rest of my life.
MarionKodiak, Alaska
Rhona offers a dynamic Relationship Workshop on positive communication and productive conflict, which is also relevant to parents. There are no upcoming workshops scheduled, however, if you or a small group of your choosing would like Rhona to customize one for you, please complete the form below, check the box, and Rhona will be in touch.
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