Meet Bob Manthy of Rebuilding Seminars in Niwot

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Manthy.

Bob, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My 2008 separation and eventual divorce from an increasingly violent spouse left me overwhelmed as a single parent and with the belief that I would be alone for the rest of my life. Life was over.

Of course, about a year later I met a woman who seemed to care for me, and my long shut-down heart saw the hope of loving again. But it was not to be. Six weeks into this “love” relationship I was being treated as poorly by this woman as I was by my ex — somehow I had expertly found exactly the same woman. Oh my. This meant the problem wasn’t with them; the problem was with me.

This led me to Rebuilding Seminars, a program that promised to help people to get unstuck and move forward after the loss of a love relationship. On the first evening, facilitator Norm Gibson asked us to look left and look right. “Some of your future best friends are sitting next to you,” he claimed. Yea, right, a bunch of divorce people, I thought. And Norm was right. Doing the hard work of grieving, releasing our anger, transitioning to self-love and self-worth with my class led to extraordinary and authentic relationships that have now lasted more than a decade. I told Norm he had the best job in the world, and someday I would like to do something similar.

Over the next five years, I worked full time as a Director at Ball Aerospace, raised my children as a Love and Logic Parent, and earned my Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Denver. The heart motivates what is possible. Soon after I graduated in 2016, Norm announced that he would retire soon, and my dream would come true. Norm entrusted me with his 20-year legacy, and I purchased Rebuilding Seminars.

Today, Rebuilding Seminars is stronger than ever with even more offerings to help people heal, get unstuck, and move forward. As the Dhali Lhama says, “If you want others to be happy, be compassionate; if you want to be happy, be compassionate.” I am blessed to have the best job in the world, bringing compassion and healing to hundreds every year. I wish I could take a picture of each person on opening night and show them that picture 10 weeks later at graduation. They would not recognize themselves, grief and fear replaced by light and a new confidence rooted in lasting community.

My focus today is on strengthening the program and solidifying the greater community of Rebuilding Seminars graduates. We now hold an “All-RB” event every quarter which draws hundreds to eat, laugh, dance, and connect with others in their community. My favorite event is the Rebuilding Seminars Holiday Ball, where graduates dress up in their finest and (unlike any other holiday party I know of) have authentic conversations about transition and moving forward toward new possibilities. It just may be possible the divorced people have more fun than married people.

Rebuilding Seminars holds ten-Week programs every quarter on both Sunday and Thursday evenings. People are invited to attend the first evening free for charge to experience the program and participate in the small group work that provides compassion, hope, and tools to move forward. Past research has shown that our program takes two years off of the time to recover from relationship loss. More importantly, it provides a platform to begin writing a new chapter in our lives. For some, this is the greatest opportunity in our lives to find the freedom to simply be ourselves.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a monumental effort to shape this program toward greater service to the community while maintaining life balance for myself. When you completely aligned in purpose, this is worth all of the effort.

Most who come to Rebuilding Seminars have experienced deep trauma with the end of their relationships. Our focus first has to be on creating a safe container for everyone. This means setting a baseline of compassion for one another and training our volunteers to lovingly set boundaries within the group.

Please tell us about Rebuilding Seminars.
Everyone who walks into the Rebuilding Seminars workshop or opening night has already made a decision to move forward in their own lives by “putting their oxygen mask on first.” We accelerate them on their path through grief and anger, into the Bardo of transition, the removal of masks to prevent “in-2-me-c.,” through the discovery of the self-worth that is already there, and finally to singleness and personal freedom. Any all of this from within the safety of a supportive community.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Watching Rebuilding Seminar graduates celebrate at our graduation ceremony and FLY (first love yourself). Witnessing personal transformation from within the supportive community I’ve helped to create is priceless.

Pricing:

• $749 for the 10-week seminar and 12+ sponsored social events, discounts available for early registration

Contact Info:

• Address: 195 Second Ave., Niwot, CO 80544
• Website: www.rebuildingseminars.com
• Phone: 720-600-2763
• Email: rebuilding@rebuildingseminars.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebuildingSeminars/
• Other: https://goo.gl/tGF9mE

Image Credit:
Ilyse Bloom (co-facilitator, but not co-owner), Norm Gibson (Rebuilding Seminars founder), and Bob Manthy (owner and facilitator, Rebuilding Seminars)

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