Why Is Connection Difficult?

We are wired for connection, yet so many of us feel disappointed and frustrated in our relationships.

In this webinar, you’ll learn it’s not just what you say — it’s how your body, tone, and presence signal safety or threat. The good news is, you can improve your relationships by understanding your nervous system.

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

THE FORMAT

man looking at laptop screen

✔️ 1-hour live webinar

✔️ Interactive Q&A with Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein

✔️ Supportive and accessible for all levels

✔️ Free to attend

June 11, 2025*

8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific

*webinar will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend the live session

What You’ll Learn

If you care deeply about the quality of your relationships but sometimes feel lost, disconnected, or unsure how to bridge the gaps, you’re not alone. In this webinar, you’ll discover how unseen patterns of nervous system stress and defense can quietly erode connection — and how building awareness, compassion, and new habits can transform the way you relate.

mother and daughter laughing

Whether you’re a therapist, caregiver, partner, or friend, this hour-long session will help you recognize how your body and nervous system communicate safety (or threat) — often before a single word is spoken. Through simple yet profound insights, you’ll begin to understand why some interactions feel so difficult and how to show up in a way that fosters genuine connection.

Who Is this Webinar For?

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This webinar is for you if you experience any of the following in your personal and/or professional relationships:

  • You are frustrated that you are not finding the quality of connection that you seek:

  • Find yourself repeating unhelpful patterns in relationships

  • When you try to resolve a conflict, you walk away feeling worse

  • You fear losing yourself in a relationship

  • You feel like relationships are too much work

  • You are lonely or isolated and are not sure what to do about it

  • While you know relationships can be a source of strength, they are often a source of stress

This webinar is for anyone who values their relationships and wants to show up with more presence, awareness, and compassion. If you would like to shift from conflict, struggle, or misunderstanding to more authentic caring and attuned interactions, this webinar is for you.

Meet Your InstructoR

For more than 40 years, I’ve dedicated my life’s work to helping people heal, grow, and move toward greater clarity, meaning, and ease. Since beginning my career in 1985, I’ve specialized in the treatment of trauma, dissociation, chronic illness, and the many emotional and psychological challenges that often accompany them. My approach is rooted in compassion, with the goal of helping individuals reduce suffering, navigate life’s struggles, and reconnect with their inner strength, wisdom, and capacity for fulfillment.

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I hold a PsyD in Clinical Psychology and draw from a wide range of modalities — including traditional psychotherapy, somatic and polyvagal-informed practices, mindfulness, and the latest research in neuroscience and mind-body integration — to support healing at every level.

Over the years, I’ve worked with more than 10,000 people through individual therapy, group programs, and immersive courses. I’m also a longtime meditation practitioner and teacher, and this commitment to inner stillness and presence infuses every aspect of my work. It’s a privilege to walk alongside others on the path to healing — and to help illuminate what’s possible when we begin to feel safe, connected, and fully ourselves.

  • Jeffrey has an extraordinarily calming voice and a warm, grounded presence. People go deep in his care and feel safe to discover what has been buried. Accepting, insightful, and funny, he is a truly gifted teacher whose presence is a healing space.

     - Tami Simon, Founder, Sounds True

  • Dr. Rutstein brings a quiet depth and seasoned wisdom to the field of healing. With decades of experience and a presence shaped by mindfulness and compassion, he teaches with both gentleness and clarity. His presence is a refuge, his guidance one of reverence and restoration – a hand for those seeking a more grounded and integrated life.

    – Ruth King, author, Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out

  • Jeffrey Rutstein brings a rare and remarkable combination of focus and freshness to his teaching. Over years of following his work, I have continued to be inspired by how his relationship to his material seems ever to evolve and deepen, that there is always something new to discover, not just for his students, but for him. He brings passion and intelligence to his topics, which he extends to his students with a seriousness of purpose, warmth and humor. This he does equally well for audiences that are known to him, or anonymous.

    - Dorrie C., participant

  • Jeffrey Rutstein’s teaching style and approach are truly transformative. From the moment you engage with him, he embodies the principles he teaches, helping to regulate and guide you in real time. I’ve seen people come in unsure, disconnected, or struggling, and over time—through Jeffrey’s skillful presence—they begin to find themselves, and to access strength and regulation that they didn’t know was possible. He has an incredible capacity to be a healing presence, hold space, listen deeply, and provide insightful reflections that guide you to your next steps. Unlike much of the content out there that promises change but doesn’t deliver, Jeffrey’s work genuinely fosters lasting transformation. I can’t recommend Jeffrey enough for anyone looking to understand and transform their relationship with themselves. His teachings are a journey that truly helps you become the person you want to be.

    - Steve Lessard, Program Director, The Healing Trauma Program

  • I have learned more about myself, my life, and my healing from Dr Rutstein than any other teacher. His programs and teachings have been life-changing and transformational for me. His teachings, offered with a combination of deep wisdom and experience, care, compassion, humor, and insight, are a rare and precious gift. His presence and grounded steadiness create a safety to learn and grow truly. I have recommended his teachings to all of my friends and family. Anyone who checked him out on my recommendation has returned to thank me. If you want to grow into your full potential as a human being, to deepen your connection with yourself and with others, to live a more balanced and free life, especially if you have experienced trauma, you will be glad you have a chance to learn, grow, and heal with him. I wholeheartedly, and without any reservation, recommend him to you.

    - Richard W., satisfied student

My qualifications

  • Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology - Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey

  • Certified Hakomi Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Therapist, CHT - Comprehensive & Advanced Trainings, Hakomi Institute

  • Basic Clinical Training in Imago Relationship Therapy - Maya Kollman, MA  Imago Therapy Master Trainer

  • Training for the Treatment of Trauma & Advanced Training for the Treatment of Trauma - Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Francine Shapiro and EMDRIA

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training (MBSR) for Professionals - Doctors Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli

  • Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy - New York Center for Psychoanalytic Studies

Program Benefits

By participating in the webinar, you’ll gain skills to:

Improve communication in your personal and professional life

Build connection and intimacy by listening deeply to ourselves and others

Recognize when you or someone else is open to connecting

Learn how your nervous system can help or hinder your connection with others

Identify what you need to feel safe and connected

Repair a relationship after a contentious conversation

FAQs

  • You’ll join Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein for a live, interactive 60-minute webinar where he’ll explore how the nervous system shapes our ability to connect with others. Through stories, science, and practical tools, you’ll gain fresh insight into why relationships can feel so hard—and what you can do to experience more ease and connection.

  • You’ll leave with a new understanding of the hidden nervous system patterns that can disrupt relationships, plus practical, body-based strategies to bring more calm, clarity, and connection into your daily interactions. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions and learn from others in a supportive, compassionate space.

  • No preparation is necessary. Just bring yourself and an open mind. You may wish to have a notebook on hand if you'd like to jot down reflections or insights during the session.

  • Partners, parents, professionals, caregivers, friends—anyone who interacts with others and wants to improve the quality of those relationships. If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation wondering why it felt so hard, this webinar will offer clarity and support.

  • Yes! A recording will be sent to everyone who registers, so you can watch it at a time that works for you in the 30 days following the live session.