as_it_is - my adventure continues (part 4)

[asitis]

So, I'd like some brainstorming help.

W & I fell for each other because we have common intellectual interests. She is showing signs of interest in what I'm doing now again. But she is also getting back to some of her research that overlaps with what I'm doing. A good sign that maybe some of her depression is lifting.

Her work is researching from a political perspective female shame. She has done a lot of reading and thinking about the topic over the past year, but it is also something that she has been hesitant to share, because it is also personal and connected to our R. We can talk about my work & how it relates to hers, but I want to open up letting her talk about her work, as it is genuinely of interest to me and there is a lot of common ground and interest. She clearly gets enthusiastic about the topic, but I want to figure out how to make it safe for me to engage her and allow her to open up so that it is more her sharing and less me sharing.

It is awkward, and I recognize that it may be a bit too early, but she has brought the subject up a couple times, as if she is interested in making more of a connection. Just two days ago she volunteered that she was getting back into her research, but the kids interrupted discussing it further. I asked today what her research was on: coming back to the ongoing or something new. She was very interested in discussing it, but again the kids wanted her attention and it wasn't a good time. But, I signalled my interest back by asking.

So, I'm trying to think through how to bridge the awkwardness of connecting on this topic. She has not been comfortable doing anything one-on-one because of our sitch, but is clearly indicating interest in engaging. I don't want to scare her off, and I want genuinely want to flag my interest in her interest.

I only have one DB coach session before I have to shell over more money, that is a bit tight right now, so I'm hesitant having another session so soon after my last. It is really funny how I have a session, and then then next day my W initiates some kind of opening that I really want to run by my DB coach. It has happened more than once.

So, thoughts, suggestions, concerns?