First, the formal bio:  

• Ruth L. Schwartz is the author of eight books: five books of poems, a memoir, and two personal growth books, including Amazon bestseller Conscious Lesbian Dating & Love. 
• Her training includes a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology and three years of study at the Somatica Institute, where she is a certified Sex and Intimacy Coach. She is also a Board-Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Shamanic Practitioner. 
• Ruth has taught at Ashland University, Mills College, California State University-Fresno, and five other colleges and universities, and has worked with private students and clients since 2003. 
• Ruth came out in 1982 and has been a longtime leader in the LGBTQ community.   

Now, a more personal story.  

As a child, I would never have imagined I'd be running an international program about conscious lesbian dating and relationships. Yet it all makes sense when you think about the shamanic archetype of the wounded healer. There's an elegant way that, with commitment and grace, our wounds can become our gifts.

I was a sensitive child with well-meaning teenaged parents who were ill-equipped to parent me or to love each other. I learned to leave my body when they fought, yelling vicious things at each other.  

As a teenager, I turned to romantic love for my salvation. But of course, it turned out that I had no idea how to create a healthy, enduring relationship. 

When I fell madly in love with the first person with whom I really wanted "forever," our connection was magical, passionate and mutual.

And when she broke up with me, I was completely shattered. 

I had thought the strength of our feelings for each other would be enough. What did she want from a relationship? What did I want? What were we each capable of? I had never asked those questions of her, or even of myself. 

Honestly, I had seen the many red flags early on, but I hadn't paid attention, because I was too much in love. 

She did a lot of messed-up things, and I tolerated them. But I also lacked the skills to communicate with her in healthy ways. I see now that even though we were both good people, cared and tried hard, our relationship never stood a chance, because neither of us knew what a deeply intimate long-term lesbian relationship required. 

I remember one day after our breakup, when I had cried for many hours on my old green stuffed chair. Part of me desperately wanted to blame my ex , but another part of me realized I needed to understand how I had contributed to what happened. 

That question started a quest which eventually became Conscious Girlfriend.

But because no one was offering me the kind of information I now teach, I had to learn the hard way. 

And I wish I could say I learned it quickly. But, I didn't. I went through two more shattering breakups before I fully committed myself to finding a different way. 

My quest took years -- because again, I was mapping unmapped terrain. It included a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology, many workshops, many books, and several certifications in hypnotherapy, shamanic counseling, and other paths of deep healing.

I stayed single for several years as I transformed myself and my romantic possibilities during that time. There wasn't a roadmap for lesbians who wanted good relationships, but I compiled one myself. 

Now I offer a faster, easier path to women and adjacent non-binary people who are ready to choose healthy love. Since the book Conscious Lesbian Dating & Love came out in 2015, women from 25 countries have taken our classes -- and every day I receive emails letting me know how it has changed their lives.

I really believe that together, in Conscious Girlfriend, we are co-creating a new world, one that can truly nourish us, not just through romantic love, but also through community and connection.

And if you want to take the fast track, I highly recommend you get some Conscious Girlfriend Coaching to support you 1:1, along with our classes that provide both the content you need, and the community support to make your journey easier, faster and more fun. 

I highly recommend all our coaches! And I personally am only able to make time for 2-3 clients per month. But if you're drawn to work with me directly, I'd be honored to support you in preparing to find the woman of your dreams, and making sure your emotional and sexual bond stays strong.