welcome to the "roadmap" you need to navigate
your neurodiverse relationship with intention, honesty, & compassion
Your Relationship Roadmap is psychoeducational workshop series that brings neurodiverse couples together for education, conversation, and hands-on problem-solving. We engage in learning together in a number of different ways, including presentations, group discussions, guided couples dialogues (private/off camera), and individual reflection worksheets.
Together, we'll cover the following topics:
- Part 1: Your Roadmap–An overview of neurodiverse relationship strengths & challenges as well as establishing “rules of the road” within your relationship
- Part 2: Your Destination–An exploration of your wants and needs in your relationship with attention to navigating differing wants and needs rooted in neurodiversity
- Part 3: Your Compass–An introduction to developing compassion for yourself and for your partner as key components that can guide your reactions and responses within your relationship
- Part 4: Your Vehicle–An introduction to developing routines and communication structures that enable you and your partner to work together to meet each other’s needs
By the end of our workshop journey, you and your partner will have a shared "map" for understanding your relationship, clarity about the "destination" you're working together to reach, trust in your twice-compassionate "compass" to guide you along the way, and a reliable "vehicle" for moving you toward deeper satisfaction in your relationship.
For a more complete overview of our four part process, check out this blog post I wrote.
next workshop series offering: october 6-8, 2023 (online via zoom)
Designed to provide you and your partner with a retreat-like experience, we'll spend a weekend together immersing in knowledge and tools that will help you work together to move your neurodiverse relationship in directions that work well for both of you.
Our Zoom Schedule:
Friday, October 6th
7-8 pm EST: Welcome, Weekend Overview, and Group Agreements
Saturday, October 7th:
10 am-12 noon EST: Part 1, Your Roadmap
12 noon-1:30 pm EST: Break for lunch
1:30 pm-3:00 pm EST: Part 2, Your Destination
3:00 pm-3:30 pm EST: Break
3:30 pm-4:30 pm EST: Part 3, Your Compass,
Introduction to Self-Compassion
4:30 pm EST: Free Evening (intentions and plans for this time will be developed during the workshop)
Sunday, October 8th
10 am-12 noon EST: Part 3, Your Compass, Continued,
Partner-Compassion
12 noon-1:30 pm EST: Break for lunch
1:30m pm-3:00 pm EST: Part 4, Your Vehicle;
Appreciations & Next Steps
3;00 EST: Dismissal
Friday, October 6th
7-8 pm EST: Welcome, Weekend Overview, and Group Agreements
Saturday, October 7th:
10 am-12 noon EST: Part 1, Your Roadmap
12 noon-1:30 pm EST: Break for lunch
1:30 pm-3:00 pm EST: Part 2, Your Destination
3:00 pm-3:30 pm EST: Break
3:30 pm-4:30 pm EST: Part 3, Your Compass,
Introduction to Self-Compassion
4:30 pm EST: Free Evening (intentions and plans for this time will be developed during the workshop)
Sunday, October 8th
10 am-12 noon EST: Part 3, Your Compass, Continued,
Partner-Compassion
12 noon-1:30 pm EST: Break for lunch
1:30m pm-3:00 pm EST: Part 4, Your Vehicle;
Appreciations & Next Steps
3;00 EST: Dismissal
You'll receive access to all course materials in a convenient online classroom, including downloadable slides for every session, a printable workbook for use during our process (and beyond), and resource links for further learning.
Cost: $500 per couple
Early Bird Discount: $400 per couple
Space is limited to 12 couples to provide opportunities for questions and group discussion.
Attendance at all sessions is expected and sessions will not be recorded for later viewing.
You are highly encouraged to remove and reduce as many potential distractions and demands as possible for the duration of the weekend to support your ability to focus on yourself and your relationship. This may include childcare arrangements, time off from work, delegating household or family responsibilities, etc.
Join us! Invest in your neurodiverse relationship by claiming your spot in our workshop today.
Cost: $500 per couple
Early Bird Discount: $400 per couple
Space is limited to 12 couples to provide opportunities for questions and group discussion.
Attendance at all sessions is expected and sessions will not be recorded for later viewing.
You are highly encouraged to remove and reduce as many potential distractions and demands as possible for the duration of the weekend to support your ability to focus on yourself and your relationship. This may include childcare arrangements, time off from work, delegating household or family responsibilities, etc.
Join us! Invest in your neurodiverse relationship by claiming your spot in our workshop today.
registration will open august 11th, 2023
Use the form below to join the waitlist for the next workshop.
You'll receive priority access to registration, applicable discounts, plus my neurodiverse relationship newsletter.
You'll receive priority access to registration, applicable discounts, plus my neurodiverse relationship newsletter.
about your facilitator & teacher, Laurie
Laurie Budlong-Morse is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Neurodiverse Couples Therapist in private practice with a focus on mixed-neurotype couples where one partner is autistic (on the autism spectrum) and the other is not. Laurie's experiences providing therapy led her to create this workshop series to better meet the needs she witnesses in her work with neurodiverse couples. You can learn more about her here.
frequently asked questions
What benefits does a group psychoeducational experience offer that I can't get from couples therapy?
So many! Here are a few.
1) Sharing discussions with other neurodiverse couples allows you to crowd source wisdom from others who have similar experiences.
2) Learning in a group setting helps you step outside the day to day challenges in your relationship and see the ways these challenges relate to neurological differences.
3) Engaging in a workshop process together enables you and your partner to see each other as team mates working toward the same goals.
What if I'm not usually comfortable in group settings?
You'll be in good company. Many (if not all) participants will be stepping outside of their comfort zone to participate in our process, motivated by a commitment to their relationship and a desire to work toward change.
Our process is intentionally designed to be as low pressure as possible, giving you lots of freedom to decide how you would prefer to participate in group discussions. Meeting over zoom further increases your ability to control how you do or don't engage with the rest of the group.
That being said, the participants who piloted this process found their fellow group members' comments and questions to be highly valuable and also felt more comfortable sharing in our group than they expected, so try to keep an open mind about how the group will feel for you.
So many! Here are a few.
1) Sharing discussions with other neurodiverse couples allows you to crowd source wisdom from others who have similar experiences.
2) Learning in a group setting helps you step outside the day to day challenges in your relationship and see the ways these challenges relate to neurological differences.
3) Engaging in a workshop process together enables you and your partner to see each other as team mates working toward the same goals.
What if I'm not usually comfortable in group settings?
You'll be in good company. Many (if not all) participants will be stepping outside of their comfort zone to participate in our process, motivated by a commitment to their relationship and a desire to work toward change.
Our process is intentionally designed to be as low pressure as possible, giving you lots of freedom to decide how you would prefer to participate in group discussions. Meeting over zoom further increases your ability to control how you do or don't engage with the rest of the group.
That being said, the participants who piloted this process found their fellow group members' comments and questions to be highly valuable and also felt more comfortable sharing in our group than they expected, so try to keep an open mind about how the group will feel for you.
Is this workshop process balanced in how it attends to both "neurotypical" (non-autistic/non-ADHD) and neurodivergent (autistic/ADHD) partners?
Yes! Our content is rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming, non-pathologizing stance and aims to help couples identify shared ways they can work together. Our process further encourages partners in neurodiverse relationships to know, understand, and accept both self and partner as the foundation for building authentic, sustainable solutions that honor differences and meet relational needs without sacrificing self.
Will this workshop process give us concrete tools that we can use to improve our relationship?
Yes! You'll get plenty of reflection worksheets to guide you step-by-step through each part of our process as well as structures for couples dialogues that can help you understand each other and problem-solve effectively. You'll also have lots of opportunities to ask specific questions as well as hear from other couples about what's worked for them.
Overall, you'll walk away with a clear process for working through relationship issues that you can replicate and build upon over and over again.
Is this workshop process a substitute for couples therapy?
No. This workshop process is designed to give you as much information and tools as possible to empower you to solve problems on your own, but it is not a substitute for the individualized help of a professional. Our process can be a good foundation before starting couples therapy or an additional support to come alongside couples therapy. For some couples, this workshop may be all the help you'll need, but for others short or long-term individual and/or couples therapy may be essential to your ability to fully integrate and practice the concepts we'll learn together.
Yes! Our content is rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming, non-pathologizing stance and aims to help couples identify shared ways they can work together. Our process further encourages partners in neurodiverse relationships to know, understand, and accept both self and partner as the foundation for building authentic, sustainable solutions that honor differences and meet relational needs without sacrificing self.
Will this workshop process give us concrete tools that we can use to improve our relationship?
Yes! You'll get plenty of reflection worksheets to guide you step-by-step through each part of our process as well as structures for couples dialogues that can help you understand each other and problem-solve effectively. You'll also have lots of opportunities to ask specific questions as well as hear from other couples about what's worked for them.
Overall, you'll walk away with a clear process for working through relationship issues that you can replicate and build upon over and over again.
Is this workshop process a substitute for couples therapy?
No. This workshop process is designed to give you as much information and tools as possible to empower you to solve problems on your own, but it is not a substitute for the individualized help of a professional. Our process can be a good foundation before starting couples therapy or an additional support to come alongside couples therapy. For some couples, this workshop may be all the help you'll need, but for others short or long-term individual and/or couples therapy may be essential to your ability to fully integrate and practice the concepts we'll learn together.
Do I need to know anything about autism or ADHD to participate?
Yes, a basic working knowledge of autism, ADHD and/or any other forms of neurodivergence that are present in your relationship will be helpful. The focus of this workshop is on teaching you and your partner a shared process for navigating neurological differences rather than educating you about these differences in depth. If you would like to better understand autism and neurodiversity, my resource library is a good place to start.
Is this workshop process appropriate for all neurodiverse couples?
Our learning environment will be inclusive and welcoming of diverse couples, including LGBTQ+ couples as well as couples of all races and religions. The content shared does not stereotype either neurotypical or neurodivergent partners and holds space for a wide variety of identities and traits.
Our process is specifically designed for mixed-neurotype couples where one partner is on the autism spectrum and the other is not. It is also appropriate for other mixed-neurotype couples where autism and/or ADHD are present in one or both partners. It may be applicable for other neurodiverse couples, please contact Laurie directly (support@lauriebmorse.com) with specific questions if you're interested but unsure how relevant this workshop will be for your relationship.
This workshop is not appropriate for you if you are in acute relationship distress (serious contemplation of divorce, frequent volatile conflicts, emotional/physical abuse, complete breakdown of effective communication, etc). It is also not a good fit for couples where one or both partners is experiencing acute or untreated serious mental health issues that profoundly impact daily functioning. If you are unsure if this workshop is a good fit for you, please contact Laurie directly (support@lauriebmorse.com).
Yes, a basic working knowledge of autism, ADHD and/or any other forms of neurodivergence that are present in your relationship will be helpful. The focus of this workshop is on teaching you and your partner a shared process for navigating neurological differences rather than educating you about these differences in depth. If you would like to better understand autism and neurodiversity, my resource library is a good place to start.
Is this workshop process appropriate for all neurodiverse couples?
Our learning environment will be inclusive and welcoming of diverse couples, including LGBTQ+ couples as well as couples of all races and religions. The content shared does not stereotype either neurotypical or neurodivergent partners and holds space for a wide variety of identities and traits.
Our process is specifically designed for mixed-neurotype couples where one partner is on the autism spectrum and the other is not. It is also appropriate for other mixed-neurotype couples where autism and/or ADHD are present in one or both partners. It may be applicable for other neurodiverse couples, please contact Laurie directly (support@lauriebmorse.com) with specific questions if you're interested but unsure how relevant this workshop will be for your relationship.
This workshop is not appropriate for you if you are in acute relationship distress (serious contemplation of divorce, frequent volatile conflicts, emotional/physical abuse, complete breakdown of effective communication, etc). It is also not a good fit for couples where one or both partners is experiencing acute or untreated serious mental health issues that profoundly impact daily functioning. If you are unsure if this workshop is a good fit for you, please contact Laurie directly (support@lauriebmorse.com).