Building Rituals of Connection Cards

Build rituals that improve your relationship! In his book The Intentional Family, Bill Doherty discusses “rituals of connection” as an important tool for successful relationships. A Ritual of Connection is a method of ‘turning towards’ another person that is reliable and can be counted on. A Ritual needs to be thought out and planned: When? How often? Where? Who initiates? How will it unfold?

Couples can decide which Rituals to include in their lives together using this exercise.

Opportunity Cards

It’s the little things that build trust, friendship, and closeness. Each day brings new opportunities to connect! These cards help recognize and act on the moments that build intimacy in meaningful ways and build rituals that improve your relationship.

*** This card deck can also be found in the Art and Science of Love Box Set.

Gottman Method Couples Therapy is designed to disarm conflicting verbal communication, increase intimacy, respect, and affection, remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy in conflicting situations, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.

Drs. John and Julie Gottman developed nine components of healthy relationships known as The Sound Relationship House Theory.  One of these key components is turn towards and not away.

Turn Towards Instead of Away
State your needs, be aware of bids for connection and respond to (turn towards) them. The small moments of everyday life are actually the building blocks of relationship.