Wholehearted Boundaries Course

WHOLEHEARTED BOUNDARIES:

Love Without Losing Yourself

with Michele O'Mara, PhD, LCSW

Does saying ‘no’ leave you feeling guilty, selfish, or afraid of rejection?

You’re not alone. Setting boundaries can feel impossible—like you’re letting people down or risking connection. But here’s the truth: boundaries are the way back to yourself. They’re how we show up fully, love wholeheartedly, and honor what matters most. Wholehearted Boundaries will give you the tools—and the courage—to love others without losing yourself.

Wholehearted Boundaries:

Love Without Losing Yourself

Learn how to say ‘yes’ to what matters most, ‘no’ to what doesn’t, and build relationships that honor your worth and well-being.

REGISTER HERE!

Do you feel exhausted from always putting others’ needs ahead of your own?

Have you swallowed your voice to avoid conflict, only to feel resentment bubbling beneath the surface?

Does saying ‘no’ make you feel selfish, guilty, or afraid you’ll lose connection?

You’re not alone.

Many of us grew up believing that love means sacrifice—that setting boundaries is selfish or even harmful. We carry this belief into our relationships, where we give and give until there’s nothing left for ourselves.

But here’s the hard truth: without boundaries, love can feel more like a burden. Your energy drains. Resentment grows. Instead of feeling close and connected, you feel overwhelmed, burned out, and painfully disconnected—from others and from yourself.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re bridges. They create space for balance, clarity, and deeper connection. And you can learn to set them—gently, courageously, and with love.

I know what it’s like to feel anxious about setting boundaries—worried about what people will say or how they’ll react. I’ve been there. But I’ve also seen, time and again, how learning to say ‘yes’ to yourself changes everything: your relationships, your confidence, and your peace of mind.

The truth is, boundaries are an act of love, both for yourself and the people you care about. I’m here to help you take that first brave step. For nearly 30 years, I’ve guided people just like you to find the courage, clarity, and tools to honor their needs without guilt or fear—and to build relationships that feel balanced, authentic, and connected.

As a PhD, certified relationship coach, and therapist trained in the leading approaches to relational health, I bring both the professional tools and personal understanding you need to create the change you’re looking for.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in the Course

Identify Your Needs: Gain clarity on what truly matters to you.
Communicate with Confidence: Learn how to express your boundaries effectively and compassionately.
Navigate Resistance: Handle pushback and guilt with grace, staying true to yourself.
Break Free from Patterns: Overcome resentment, people-pleasing, and exhaustion.
Build Deeper Connections: Foster relationships that honor your individuality and your worth.

The Hidden Cost of Saying "Yes" too Often

Missing the opportunity to create authentic, fulfilling connections.

Feeling burned out from over-giving.
Harboring resentment that erodes your relationships.
Losing your sense of self in the pursuit of harmony.

What happens if nothing changes?

You’ll keep feeling burned out, saying yes when you want to say no, and watching resentment silently erode your relationships. The cost isn’t just your peace of mind—it’s your ability to show up as your true self with the people you love.

Without boundaries, you risk:

Feeling Burned Out from Over-Giving: Constantly saying “yes” to others leaves little room for your own needs, draining your energy and leaving you emotionally exhausted.
Harboring Resentment: When your needs go unmet, frustration builds silently, eroding trust and intimacy in your relationships.
Losing Your Sense of Self: In the pursuit of harmony, you may find yourself sacrificing your individuality and feeling disconnected from who you truly are.
Missing Authentic Connections: Boundaries aren’t barriers—they’re bridges. Avoiding them means missing the chance to create relationships rooted in mutual respect, understanding, and care.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Boundaries are the foundation for healthier, more fulfilling connections—both with yourself and with the people you care about.

Imagine This...

You say ‘no’ without guilt—and people respect it.
You feel calm, confident, and balanced in your relationships.
Your partner understands and supports your needs, because you’ve learned how to communicate with them clearly and kindly.

That’s the power of Wholehearted Boundaries—relationships where love flows freely because you’ve learned to honor yourself.

Ready to Transform Your Relationships?

Sign Up for the Course
Click the button below to register and secure your spot. It’s quick, easy, and the first step toward creating the balanced, fulfilling relationships you deserve.

REGISTER HERE!

(4) THURSDAY 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST

7 pm CT | 6 pm MT | 5 pm PT

FEB 12, 19, 26, MAR 5

Learn and Practice

Dive into guided lessons, hands-on exercises, and real-life examples designed to help you build confidence in setting and maintaining boundaries

Transform Your Relationships

Start applying what you've learned to honor your worth, communicate your needs, and foster deeper, healthier connections with people who matter most.

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★★★★★

Michele is an excellent coach and facilitator. Not only is the material helpful but she "walks her talk" (demonstrated with her partner). I'd recommend this course to anyone. It's a user-friendly and practical course. Her style is also engaging: she has a great sense of humor, has sound applications, and provides a safe space.

- Susan L, North Carolina

★★★★★

It was outstanding. Very clearly taught with excellent handouts – specific, sharp looking. Flowed well from concept to concept. Really liked the teaching format. Exercises were very beneficial. I would highly recommend it.

– Tamara Weber, Saint Clare, MI

★★★★★

It was amazing!

So insightful and especially validating to see that we're not the only ones who struggle the way we do with communication, don't change your personable and welcoming demeanor.

– K&M, Huntsville, AL

Specifically for Lesbian, Queer & Non-Binary (non-male) Folx

Unlike most relationship resources, this course is made by a lesbian pyschotherapist and relationship coach specifically for lesbians. This course is inclusive of all female and non-binary/gender queer couples (non-male-identified).
Supportive Community of Lesbian Couples

Continue learning from other couples by joining the Art of Wholehearted Communication Facebook group. You will be joined by your classmates as well as couples from previous courses.
4 Weekly Live Online Video Classes

All classes will be held on zoom.us. You will be provided a link to join the class upon registration. Couples can log on from the same or different locations to join the course.
Audio Recording of Classes

Technology willing, all classes will be audio-recorded for your review, or to catch up if you miss a class.
Digital Workbook Included

Class participants will receive a 48+ page workbook (pdf) with information and exercises for use during the 4-week Wholehearted Communication class.

REGISTER HERE!

WHAT QUALIFIES MICHELE O'MARA, PHD TO TEACH THIS COURSE?

Certified Imago Therapist, Harville Hendrix (2005)
Author, Just Ask! 1,000 Questions to Grow Your Relationship (2012)
Ph.D. Clinical Sexology (2012)
️Trained on All 3 Levels, Gottman Method, John Gottman (2014)
️Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Sue Johnson (2015)
️Certified Discernment Counselor (2015)
️Author of "Just Ask, 1,000 Questions to Grow Your Relationship" (2012)
️M.S.W. (1992)
️ Lesbian mom and wife

Cost

Registration is $139 for two people. You are welcome to join the class with or without a partner or a friend. All sessions are recorded for your convenience.

REGISTER HERE!

Q & A's

Will I Have to Talk in Front of Others?

Will I Have to Talk about our issues in Front of Others?

No. This is an educational course. This is not therapy. You will not be expected to share anything about yourself or your relationship (if applicable) in front of your peers. All exercises are designed to be done privately, some on your own, and some with your partner or a friend. Any sharing you do during class is 100% voluntary.

You will have the opportunity to interact with other participants if you wish, however, all sharing is 100% voluntary, not required.

What if I cannot do all 4 classes?

No worries. Not all schedules line up perfectly, so we flex life as we need to. Ideally, you will work to prioritize this course as an investment in your relationship. The course materials and assignments will be available on the private online Wholehearted Boundaries course portal. Audio recordings of each class will also be uploaded to the classroom portal.

Will classes be recorded?

Yes, technology willing, each class will be recorded and audio files will be uploaded in the online classroom portal.

Can I access this course from a smartphone?

Yes. You can use zoom.us via a smartphone, ipad, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. You will need access to the internet and you will also need to download the zoom app on the device you plan to use to access class. Go to: zoom.us/download and download this software on your device. At the time of the class, enter the course URL address (which you'll receive after registering) in your search bar. This will take you to the live digital classroom.

About the Facilitator, Michele O'Mara, PhD

My name is Michele.

I’m a relationship coach, psychotherapist, and a very human work-in-progress.

Here’s the real me: I’m a divorced and remarried lesbian, a recovering alcoholic with over 20 years of sobriety, living with ADHD, in a blended lesbian family with two sons, and happily married to my wife, who is 13 years my junior.

For a long time, I thought I had to have everything figured out—be flawless and free of challenges—to help others. I was wrong.

Life has shown me that our worth isn’t measured by avoiding challenges or mistakes but by how we choose to respond to them. My personal experiences—both messy and beautiful—have opened my heart to our shared humanity. They’ve taught me that we’re all here to learn, grow, and do better.

While I don’t have all of life’s mysteries figured out, I do have an unwavering passion for relationships—how they shape us, heal us, and teach us to love better. For over two decades, I’ve dedicated my career to helping individuals and couples, particularly lesbian couples, cultivate secure, satisfying, and transformative connections.

My Professional Journey

My love for relationship work began in the early ’90s when I read Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. Inspired by their Imago Theory, I quit my job, went back to school, and earned my MSW with the goal of empowering lesbian couples to thrive in love.

Since then, my passion has only grown, and I’ve worked tirelessly to expand my knowledge and develop tools that truly help couples connect.

Highlights of My Journey

Certifications and Training:

2005: Certified Imago Therapist
2014: Completed all three levels of the Gottman Method relationship training program
2015: Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Dr. Sue Johnson
2020: Advanced EFT training with Dr. Sue Johnson
2022: Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), a cutting-edge trauma intervention

Programs and Innovations:

2005: Created Lesbian Couples Weekend, a two-day relationship workshop for lesbian couples
2018: Launched Lesbian Adventures in Love, offering retreats, courses, and community resources for relationship building
2019: Created the Lesbian Love Codes Relationship Transformation Program and lesbian speed dating events
2020: Developed Wholehearted Communication, a practical framework for lesbian couples to foster connection through effective dialogue
2021: Introduced communication classes specifically for lesbian couples

Academic and Published Work:

2012: Earned a PhD in Clinical Sexology; dissertation on the correlation between sexual frequency and lesbian relationship satisfaction
Published Just Ask: 1000 Questions to Grow Your Relationship (4-star rating on Amazon)

Why I Do This Work

Every story I hear, every couple I work with, and every challenge I face in my own life fuels my dedication to this work. Helping people find clarity, connection, and love in their relationships isn’t just a career for me—it’s my calling.

If you’re ready to build stronger, healthier, and more authentic relationships, I’d be honored to walk alongside you on your journey.

Can I attend without a partner/spouse?

Yes, single and partnered queer/lesbian/non-binary sapphic folx are welcome. If you are in a lesbian/non-binary relationship, and you wish to join without your partner, please do. (Don’t be surprised if she gets curious and decides to join you. 🙂) If you are single and wish to attend with a friend, please do.

Can I attend if I am single?

Yes. The course material is about wholehearted boundaries - the ability to set boundaries effectively in all of your relationships. This is a life skill we all need whether you are currently in a relationship or not. The content and information provided in the course will offer you valuable information to significantly improve your boundary skills regadless of your relationship status. Note: you are welcome to invite a friend to share the cost with you, too. Two people can share a registration, whether you are single or partnered.

What do lesbians have to say about taking classes with Michele?

It was outstanding. Very clearly taught with excellent handouts – specific, sharp looking. Flowed well from concept to concept. Really liked the teaching format. Exercises were very beneficial. I would highly recommend it.

– Tamara Weber, Saint Clare, MI

. . .

It was amazing!

So insightful and especially validating to see that we’re not the only ones who struggle the way we do with communication. Don’t change your personable and welcoming demeanor.

– K&M, Huntsville, AL

. . .

It was amazing! Must do for anyone at any stage of relationship. Keep offering it and other communication classes! We will take them all! We want to grow and improve.

– Tay York, Bloomington, IN

. . .

It was very thought provoking and useful information that can be applied to not only your significant other, but all relationships. The format and information was easy to follow and I felt Michele did a great job facilitating, especially on such a frustrating platform like Zoom.

– Anonymous

. . .

Loved how you brought your authentic self and gave an example from your relationship. Content is excellent. Keep the exercises!

– Nancy, NJ

. . .

Do it!

– Lj. O, Seattle, WA

. . .

It is time well spent growing your relationship but to also learn about yourself..so many “oh that makes perfect sense” moments:)

– Chris Adkins, Westfield, IN

. . .

It was a really great experience and I’m glad my wife and I signed up. Michelle was great at making things “click”. I learned a lot about myself as well as why there is a breakdown in communication.

– Anonymous

. . .

Great information, helpful tools and a friendly and knowledgeable Facilitator.

– Carolee & Kristin, Arlington, VA

. . .

Great class with great direction on how to format a productive conversation voicing your feelings and needs. Don’t change your amazing insight and gift into the lesbian brain/relationship and your knowledge of how to build a better foundation for relationships and communication. Also, stay funny.

– H. B. Indianapolis, IN

. . .

You will leave with great tools for communication, especially in terms of less harmful ways to engage in conflict.

– M, St. Petersburg, FL

. . .

Learning to communicate is vital to connection. True connection is vital to fulfillment. This class is another huge step in your life to that fulfillment you so desire. Give yourself and the love of your life the precious gift of learning and becoming better together.

– D Fishers, Indiana

. . .

Michele is brilliant and has this amazing gift for communication and teaching you how to think about communication in a way you never have before.

– P. Pennsylvania

Is this considered therapy?

No. This is a class. In fact, you do not have to introduce yourself or share anything about yourself or your relationship you do not wish to. Each class will consist of lessons taught live by Michele O'Mara, PhD and there will be opportunities for Q&A each week.

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