Plum Tree Counseling

06/24/2025

One of the simplest ways to connect with your partner is to gaze into each other’s eyes.

Sustained eye contact is extremely stimulating and demands a lot of mental resources. This makes it difficult to plan and predict, which helps you stay in the present moment with your partner.

The next time you make love, keep the lights on. See if you can make sustained eye contact and notice how that changes your experience.

06/24/2025

06/23/2025

What an incredible first RLT Relationship Skills Bootcamp for me and Amy!

We were sold out 2 weeks before the event! We were truly honored and blown away at how folks showed up eager to learn, grow, and many of whom we saw transform over the course of the weekend. So much gratitude for all of our participants and our invaluable helpers Breta Martin Collins, Mark Freitag, Greg Dunn. All of you made this possible!

Some of the feedback we received:

“This was absolutely ground-breaking for me as a form of self-care in addition to the investment into learning tools to take home to my family. [I learned] the ability to communicate more clearly with my spouse, and the ability to speak up for myself based on my personal experiences.”

“The CNI exercise was extremely valuable. This may have been the most honest we’ve been.”

“[I learned] that we can have hard conversations and state what we need without short circuiting into defensiveness.”

“I’m so thankful for the knowledge and tools. I’m leaving so hopeful for our marriage and changing our family tree.”

“I love that my partner and I could be able to express ourselves and understand our adaptive child may have been triggered.”

“Loved this weekend! Came as spouse of therapist. Learned so much. New to RLT; appreciated how plain-language/non-jargon-y everything is.”

“My favorite part was when we broke into groups. So relatable. We are all experiencing the same things.”

“Appreciate that you were vulnerable in sharing your own experiences & mistakes — ie where you fit on the grid.”

“Loved personality differences and humor — keep it real.”

“[I took away] a better idea of what I need to work on, go deep on. And tools and language to better communicate with my partner…still work to do.”

“You both brought such a beautiful energy. I appreciated the humor, vulnerability, and sincerity.”

“[I learned] I can bring my full self with accountability and love.”

“Exceeding every expectation. It was a difficult yet healing experience with my spouse.”

“The venue was perfect. The content was very useful and productive for our relationship.”

“There is hope!”

(Participants not pictured for confidentiality.)

05/13/2025

Hello everyone! Amy Robbins Dunn and I are holding an RLT Relationship Skills Bootcamp on June 21 & 22. This is open to couples and individuals (no partner necessary), and we are offering 12 CEUs for therapists who attend. This will be the first couples workshop designed by Terry Real to be held in Georgia. Please reach out if you have any questions.

https://plumtreecounseling.com/relationship-bootcamps/

RLT Relationship Bootcamp for Couples or Individuals
June 21 & 22, 2025
9am-5pm
Located at Wylde Center in Oakhurst/Decatur. ADA Compliant, huge garden, back porch with rocking chairs.

KNOCK out 7-10 MONTHS of traditional talk therapy with one weekend workshop.
This is for couples or individuals.
Therapists, come on and do this! 12 CEUs applied for!
Bring your partner or come alone.

Led by Amy Robbins LPC and Sheri Hardin LCSW, both Certified RLT Practitioners and highly experienced clinicians.

Are you interested in strengthening your relationship or learning skills to better it?
Are you curious about RLT (Relational Life Therapy by Terry Real)?
Through presentations, small group exercises, and personal reflections, you will:

Gain clarity around relational challenges that have persisted for years (so you can break free from repeated patterns).
Acquire healthy listening and responding skills to reduce conflict and side-step automatic triggers.
Identify when you feel stuck, shut down or overwhelmed so you can learn winning strategies that create safety and intimacy.
Feel less alone in navigating the path to a mutually satisfying relationship.

Your facilitators will self-disclose as part of the teaching for the group. They are in the trenches with you. This bootcamp is inclusive of wherever you are on the path of personal growth.

04/15/2025

Big news!

We are hosting a Relational Life Therapy Relationship Bootcamp — and it’s open to couples AND individuals!

And Counselors/Therapists- come join us for this weekend- alone or with your partner- 12 CEUS applied for with LPC and LCSW/LMSW.....especially if you want to learn more or are already RLT training to work with couples

In just one weekend, you’ll gain tools, skills, and insights that can fast-track the kind of growth you'd typically get in 7-10 months of traditional therapy. This was life changing for me and my partner when we attended Bootcamp as participants.

Strengthen connection
Improve communication
Break old patterns
Deepen intimacy

Based on the powerful work of Relational Life Therapy (RLT) by Terry Real, this weekend is for anyone ready to show up more fully in their relationships — with a partner or with yourself.

It will be the first RLT Bootcamp held in Georgia, facilitated by two Certified RLT Practioners, (only 12 in the State), Sheri Hardin LCSW and Amy Robbins LPC.

Real talk.
Practical tools.
Transformational change.

Located at the newly renovated Wylde Center in Oakhurst.

June 21 & 22.

Get all the details + reserve your spot:

https://plumtreecounseling.com/relationship-bootcamps/

04/11/2025

https://divorcelaw2stg.wpenginepowered.com/videos/youre-not-a-failure-because-youre-getting-a-divorce/?cn-reloaded=1

03/08/2024

It’s such a pleasure to be conferencing with like-minded divorce professionals. Everyone here is committed to helping couples and families divorce in a way that keeps things civil, reduces conflict, reduces cost, minimizes trauma, makes it easier to coparent well and have a shorter recovery process.

If you know someone considering divorce, send them to https://www.divorceamicably.com/ to find every divorce processional they will need. Everyone in the network is thoroughly vetted as committed to The Amicable process.

If you are a professional who works with divorcing clients and you appreciate an attitude of working with other professionals dedicated to keeping this civil, consider joining the Amicable Divorce Network. https://www.amicabledivorcenetwork.com/

02/17/2024

No one ever hopes to get divorced, but if you find yourself there, the Amicable Divorce Network is an amazing resource. All of the professionals are trained in helping you and your spouse divorce in a way that minimizes conflict and cost, and if you have children, leaves you in a much better emotional place to peacefully co-parent with your ex.

01/18/2024

The classic adage, “relationships require compromise,” implies that both sides lose something.

If you head into a conflict simply trying to get your partner to give up some part of their position, you won’t get very far. Even if they acquiesce, if they don’t feel they are getting something out of the deal, resentments will build.

Instead, reframe your conflicts as an opportunity to bargain. Look for a win-win and propose solutions that will sweeten the deal for your partner, not just yourself.

08/06/2023

05/24/2023

Well worth a watch. So many good nuggets. Thank you Brene Brown.

Brené Brown Tips: 7 Super Tips from Brené Brown.Each week we find the world's top thought leaders and hand select their top 7 Super Tips to unleash your inne...

05/23/2023

Courage is from the Latin word “cor,” meaning heart, and the original definition is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. True intimacy and connection with your partner requires an act of courage to let them see who you truly are. The deepest and richest relationships are full of courage.