March 2026 Newsletter
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
Spring is starting to show up, and you can feel the shift of longer days, a little more energy, and more time outside. Up here in Alaska, we’re still covered in snow, but the warmer temperatures and wearing less layers are a good reminder that new seasons really do come.
To mark the season, I wanted to share another piece from my favorite Girdwood artist, Dawn Gerety. Her work always captures something that’s hard to put into words.
Trust Is Built in the Small Moments
Spring feels like the right time to talk about trust.
Not the dramatic kind or the kind tested in moments of crisis, but the quiet, everyday kind that builds or erodes through the small moments of a relationship. The brief exchanges, like the simple act of reaching toward your partner with words, touch, or just a glance, and feeling them reach back.
In the Gottman Method, trust is not a feeling you either have or don't have. It's something that's constructed layer by layer, interaction by interaction, inside what the Gottmans call the Sound Relationship House.
And here's what I find so powerful about this framework: every floor of the house builds trust. This tells us that trusting our partner is the core, the foundation and the non-negotiable in successful relationships.
The Sound Relationship House & Trust
The Sound Relationship House has several levels, and trust is woven through all of them. Let me walk you through an easily missed level called “Turning Toward Instead of Away.”
Turning Toward builds trust.
Every day, your partner makes what Gottman calls "bids for connection". A comment about their day, a funny observation, a quiet sigh, and when you turn toward those bids, even in small ways, you're saying: I see you. You matter to me. Over time, this builds what Gottman calls an "Emotional Bank Account". Couples who turn toward each other regularly have more goodwill stored up when conflict arises. They're able to give the benefit of the doubt, and that's trust.
When we consistently turn away or against those bids, whether through distraction, dismissal, or just being too busy, the account quietly drains. And we often don't notice until the balance is already low. The other thing that you can watch for when extending bids to your partner is to make sure they are effective bids. If you know that your partner needs some time after work before interacting or if you know they may be grumpy if they’re hungry, give them that space. Doing nothing in these cases can actually be bids for connection, as you show your partner that you understand and care about them.
A Simple Practice for This Season
As spring arrives, I'd invite you to try one simple thing: pay attention to the bids.
Notice how many moments of connection are already there. See what happens when you turn toward your partner.
Watch what begins to form.. and how connection starts to run quietly through your days.
What might begin to shift if, for just one week, you made a conscious effort to turn toward?
It doesn't have to be grand. A glance. A nod. Putting the phone down for 30 seconds. Sometimes trust is rebuilt in exactly that small a moment.
If trust feels strained in your relationship, whether from conflict, disconnection, or something more significant, I want you to know it can be rebuilt. This is the work I do every day, with couples navigating exactly this.
Aarne’s Update
Aarne is growing up, and let’s just say, he’s no longer that tiny puppy. He’s now a very solid, very lovable presence with a block head that could double as a paperweight.
Remember when he was this small? 🥰
Here’s Aarne now! 😆
He’s recently made the transition to spending his evenings in his kennel. We started noticing him going in on his own during the day, so we realized this was his safe space. And just like us, he’s been working on his own version of nervous system regulation, especially when those 3 a.m. wake-ups hit. What we’ve learned? He prefers a little freedom. Door stays open, a quick reset, and then back to bed when he’s ready. That’s called movement and it’s a particular style of calming ourselves.
Jodie’s Corner
I’m really settling into the new office, and it’s becoming exactly what I envisioned, a space where clients can slow down, feel cared for, and do meaningful work.
One of my favorites is the refreshment area. I love offering nourishment for people with refreshing drinks, protein-rich snacks, nuts, and healthy-ish sweets. I hope that it makes a difference, especially during intensives and for the beautiful drive home along the Seward Highway as clients begin integrating their sessions.
Also, one of the things this new office has made possible is offering 2-day weekend Couple Immersives. I’ve been really excited about this work and the level of transformation I’ve seen with couples who have participated. It’s a more focused, in-depth experience for those who are ready to move through stuck patterns and create meaningful change more quickly.
These weekends bring together education, clear problem identification, and deeper work to help set a new direction for the relationship.
For Relationship Reset Intensive clients, I’ve created a resource folder that guides couples through nervous system regulation, Gottman-informed relationship work, and conflict support using Imago dialogue. It also includes a custom Meditation Video to help with nervous system regulation and is shared as a digital link and filmed here in Girdwood.
Having something tangible to take with you, along with resources you can return to later, can make the process easier to integrate.
This work continues to evolve in a way that feels immersive, intentional, and deeply effective, and I’m glad you’re here.
If this resonated, you’re welcome to share it with someone who might appreciate it. And if something here stood out to you, feel free to reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you.
