Level 1 Practicum

Target Audience:

Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, MFTs, Coaches

Course Content Level: The course content is appropriate for Intermediate level clinicians.

Cost: $1,500 value and is included in RLT Certification costs.  

Cancellation Policy:
If a participant needs to cancel or delay their practicum they need to provide at least 4 weeks’ notice to allow for another person to take their spot. If you cancel with less than 4 weeks of advanced notice you will be required to pay a $400 cancellation fee before signing up for a different practicum. To cancel please send an email to faculty@relationallife.com or to support@terryreal.com

Instructors:

Kate Harris, Ph.D. – Kate is a Clinical Psychologist and a certified Martha Beck, North Star Coach. In 2015, Kate watched Terry Real work live with 5 couples and was instantly committed to becoming an RLT therapist. Kate believes that RLT honors “the worth and dignity of all people” and it aligns clearly with her own personal values. After attending a Relationship Bootcamp workshop, she and her husband learned first-hand the tools Terry reaches and they continue to use them today to deepen their 32 year relationship. Kate became RLT Certified in 2018 and is a valued teacher. https://www.drkateharris.com/about

Anna Sterk, LMFT –  Anna began training in RLT with Terry Real in 2012 and has been providing therapy, Essential Skills Bootcamps, consultation, and supervision through the RLT model for years; Anna was thrilled to have the opportunity to teach and train practitioners as faculty with the Relational Life Institute (RLI) beginning in 2022.  Anna’s style as a therapist, teacher, and supervisor is to balance compassion and collaboration with direct feedback. Anna’s roots are in systems theory and cultural studies, which was a natural fit for the RLT model, and supports her goal of teaching the skills to navigate long term relationships and support relational living for both clients and students alike. As RLI Faculty, Anna teaches the Practicum courses and Small Group Mentoring for RLT certification students, along with special topic courses. https://www.annasterk.com/about

Julie Rudiger, LCSW – Julie has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the last 30 years. In 2002, Julie opened her private practice, where she has helped hundreds of individuals and couples over the last two decades. Her professional journey took a transformative turn in 2008 when she began training with Terry Real, the founder of Relational Life Therapy (RLT). Julie has since used RLT to guide clients in discovering self-esteem, healing early wounds, and fostering deeper, more authentic relationships. A faculty member at the Relational Life Institute since 2022, Julie now trains other therapists and leads community workshops, including Men’s Groups and Relationship Skills Bootcamps. Additionally, she is trained in EMDR, ACT, DBT, Gestalt, and the Enneagram. https://www.julierudiger.com

Bonny Slim, LMFT –  Bonny started training in RLT in 2012 and has participated in most of the courses that Terry has offered since then. Through co-facilitating several Relational Bootcamps, she discovered how transformative the group experience can be. Bonny teaches several Practicum Trainings each year and anticipates the impact that the practicum groups have for participants will be enormously valuable. Her favorite aspect of RLT is the awareness that practicing relational skills in our own lives is essential to be able to authentically share/teach these skills to others. https://www.bonnyslim.com

Desirae Ysasi, LPC-S – RLI’s Director of Faculty, Desirae is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor with nearly two decades of experience, specializing in relationship counseling. Serving the San Antonio community since 2006, she works exclusively with couples in romantic relationships, folks in non-traditional romantic relationship structures (ethical nonmonogamy), and adults seeking to improve family dynamics. Desirae became a Certified Relational Life Therapist in 2018 trained directly by Terry Real, the founder of Relational Life Therapy (RLT). She joined the faculty of the Relational Life Institute in 2022 and now serves as Director of Training & Certification, overseeing the global certification program. She has been the owner of Ysasi Counseling since 2014 and in the fall of 2024, Desirae opened Relational Life Texas, a virtual therapy group practice focused on RLT, providing relationship therapy across Texas. https://ysasicounseling.com

Yolanda Harper, LCSW –  Yolanda is the Founder and Director of Harper Therapy.
A specialist in trauma and post‑traumatic growth, she holds a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from the University of South Florida. Yolanda is a Master Accelerated Resolution Therapist & Certified ART Trainer; Level II Gottman‑trained clinician, integrating 40 years of Gottman Institute research into couples work; Certified Daring Way Facilitator™, applying Dr. Brené Brown’s research on shame resilience, vulnerability, and connection and is Trained in neurofeedback. This multidisciplinary expertise allows Yolanda to weave emotion, cognition, brain science, and evidence‑based research into a cohesive, client‑centered approach. Yolanda’s journey with Relational Life Therapy (RLT) began in 2018 while searching for a modality that addressed how trauma shapes relationships. Introduced to Terry Real’s work by a colleague, she found the missing piece she had been seeking—one that has since transformed her 30‑plus‑year partnership and deepened her lifelong relationship with herself. https://www.harpertherapy.com/team/yolanda-harper

Risa Ganel, M.S., LCMFT – Risa specializes in RLT couples’ therapy for her clients including two-day Couples Intensives. Her training originated in Systemic Family Therapy at the University of Maryland. Risa was previously in supervision with Esther Perel, and has been in practice for more than 30 years in Maryland. https://togethercouplescounseling.com

Zach Brittle, LMHC – Zach has been teaching, coaching, mentoring and counseling couples for nearly 20 years. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington and a Certified Gottman Therapist (CGT) and Relational Life Therapist. He is the founder and co-host of Marriage Therapy Radio and the author Reconnect: A Marriage Counseling Workbook, the Marriage Therapy Journal and the best-selling relationship guide The Relationship Alphabet. His writings and insights have also been featured in Vanity Fair, Men’s Health, Real Simple, The New York Times and the Washington Post. Zach has been happily married to his wife Rebecca for 24 of 27 years. They live in Seattle with their two adulting daughters. https://marriagetherapyradio.com

Caron Starobin, LCSW-C – Caron joined RLT in 2024 as a Trainer and has been using her RLT skills and knowledge to continue deepening her work of bringing couples into their best selves and relationships. Caron is a natural teacher and brings a unique depth to teaching others. Caron is the Owner and Clinical Director of a thriving group therapy practice, and she teaches frequently about intimacy in neurodiverse relationships. https://starobincounseling.com/

Sue Musleh, Registered Clinical Counselor – Sue is a valued part of the skilled and compassionate team of RLT Faculty and Trainers. A Registered Clinical Counsellor since 2006, she works with individuals and couples to strengthen their relationships with themselves and others. With advanced training in a somatic approach to trauma, Sue began studying with Terry in 2022 and quickly discovered how seamlessly RLT complements somatic work. RLT has proved profoundly effective, fostering her growth both personally and professionally. Ever a teacher at heart—and a former instructor—she is excited to keep learning while guiding those earlier in their RLT journey to understand and integrate the model. www.muslehcounselling.ca 

There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support for this event.

For more information and to enroll in Practicums please Apply for RLT Certification here.

Grievance Procedure:

If a student believes they have been discriminated against, they can submit a written complaint that includes their name, address, phone number, location, date, and a detailed description of the issue. If a student with a disability disagrees with the accommodation provided or has any other grievances, they can schedule a meeting to discuss and attempt to find a solution together. If the student is still not satisfied with the accommodation after further discussion, they can contact the Operations Director for the Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan, via phone, email, or mail. If the grievance cannot be resolved, the complainant will be advised to contact the appropriate Ethics Committee or Licensing Board. The Operations Director will keep all grievances and their resolutions confidential in locked files. A copy of this Grievance Procedure is available upon request.

Contact information: ACEP Administrator & Operations Director for Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan follows: 291 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459; 617-861-3030 lisa@relationallife.com