The Art of Intentional Living: How Ty Salvant Strengthens Families, Marriages, and Communities
- Dec 8
- 7 min read
By She Rises Studios Editorial Team
For more than two decades, Ty Salvant has dedicated her life to one calling. Strengthening families and communities through intentional connection. Her work is grounded in empathy, clarity, and purpose, shaped by years of homeschooling her six children, mentoring parents, designing transformative workshops, and building tools that help individuals and families communicate with greater compassion. As the founder of Time With Ty and the author of My Journal Series: A Mother’s Reflection, The Alphabet of You, and contributing author of The Heart of a Mother, Ty has become a trusted guide for women, couples, and emerging leaders seeking a more meaningful and connected life.
The spark that ignited Time With Ty came from a simple, honest moment. For years, friends encouraged Ty to bring her workshops and insights to a wider audience, but the path forward felt unclear. It was during the creation of The Alphabet of You that a graphic designer asked if she had a website, explaining that people needed a place to learn more about her growing body of work. That question revealed what had been forming all along. Ty reached out to a friend who was a designer and web developer, and together they spent hours exploring what she wanted her platform to be. Time With Ty was born from that conversation, a space designed to help people care for themselves, their marriages, their families, and their communities with intention and purpose.
Ty has always believed that what we give our attention to expands. Her work with families begins with that truth. By helping parents reflect on how they spend their time and what receives their energy, she guides them to see whether their daily lives truly reflect their values. Many of her teachings began at home as she raised her children. One of her guiding thoughts was to begin with the end in mind.
She wanted to raise children who would want to be around her when they no longer had to be, children who felt connected, respected, and valued. That desire shaped their routines, their conversations, and the way she nurtured each relationship.
Several years ago, Ty and her husband created a weekly one on one tradition for their children. Each week, one child had a two hour window and a ten dollar budget to spend time with a parent. The outings varied from movies and dessert to parks and simple time together. It was a way to cultivate individual relationships without breaking the family budget, and the impact was lasting. In the past year, Ty also created connection calendars for families, offering suggested books, movies, games, and activities that support deepening relationships in small but meaningful ways.
As a mother of six and a longtime advocate for parent leadership, Ty has gained profound insight into the evolving journey of parenting. She understands that the days often feel long, yet the years pass rapidly. Each phase of childhood shifts as soon as a parent feels they have mastered it. Ty encourages parents to remain present, to apologize when needed, and to understand that parenting is not a performance but a relationship shaped by humility, reflection, and grace. She has learned from countless conversations with parents of adult children who wish they had been more intentional, more connected, and more aware of the long term impact of their choices. Those conversations fuel her mission to equip parents with the tools they need to build strong and healthy families.
Reflection is at the heart of Ty’s work, especially through her My Journal Series: A Mother’s Reflection and her Legacy Journaling Workshops. Journaling, she believes, gives people the chance to pause and assess where they are, what they believe, and what they want to pass on.
One of her most personal examples came from a moment that began with something as simple as a dress. After years of insisting that her daughters wear dresses to formal events, she realized that one daughter hated wearing them. When she finally asked herself why she held onto that rule, she saw that it was simply a tradition she had inherited without questioning it. She let go of the expectation and allowed her daughter to express her own style, which she described as wanting to look cool rather than cute. Moments like that remind Ty that self reflection helps families break cycles, honor individuality, and build relationships rooted in mutual respect.
In her chapter for The Heart of a Mother, Ty discovered how philanthropy had been carried down through her family for three generations. Her grandmother, her mother, and now she herself had lived lives centered on service and generosity. Through journaling, Ty connected the dots and saw the legacy she was already passing on to her children. This understanding became the foundation of her Legacy Journaling Workshops, which guide individuals and families in capturing not only their stories and values but also where those values originated. When multiple generations participate, the experience becomes even more powerful. Families see how their experiences, challenges, and triumphs connect to a larger tapestry of history and purpose.
At the core of Ty’s work is the belief that strong families create strong communities. A strong family begins with the simple but powerful idea that every person must feel safe, heard, and valued for who they are. Ty encourages families to celebrate progress over perfection and to teach one another rather than compete. She recalls a moment when her eight and six year old children were playing Connect Four. The older child won easily each time, and while the younger did not show frustration, Ty saw an opportunity. She asked the older child to explain their strategy. The explanation was thoughtful and detailed, and Ty realized that this was an example of how sharing knowledge builds confidence in both the teacher and the learner. Over time, each of her children became capable and confident players because learning, not winning, was prioritized.
That same philosophy flows into her work with couples. Ty has facilitated couples retreats and relationship building workshops for many years, and she has seen consistent patterns that challenge relationships today. Time scarcity, family of origin dynamics, and communication are the three most common struggles. When couples are pulled in many directions with work, children, and obligations, they often lose the moments that once kept them connected. Ty reminds couples to reintroduce small, intentional touch points like a quick morning call or a lunchtime check in.
These moments kept them close when they were dating, and they remain essential in marriage.
Family of origin patterns can also create friction when two individuals merge their lives. Everything from cleaning styles to money habits to conflict resolution often comes from what they observed growing up. Without reflection, these inherited habits can clash with a partner’s expectations. Ty encourages couples to discuss their upbringing openly and use those conversations to build a life that reflects who they are now, not who they were raised to be.
Communication is often the hardest challenge, especially when couples are stressed or sleep deprived. When disagreements become competitions, intimacy erodes. Ty encourages couples to communicate with curiosity and empathy and to learn healthy communication skills through books, podcasts, or professional support. She reminds them that marriage is hard even when you love your partner deeply. Every individual brings their own traumas, definitions of love, values, and stress responses into the relationship. It is not impossible, but it does require intention and commitment.
Ty teaches simple daily rituals that help families and couples reconnect. Choosing tech free moments during car rides, meals, or evenings can shift the atmosphere at home. Singing together during chores, sharing highlights through group text messages, or doing a quick fifteen minute clean together can build small but powerful habits of unity and teamwork. These daily rituals reinforce the idea that connection does not require perfection. It requires presence.
Through her partnerships with schools and nonprofits, Ty works to elevate the parent voice and build communities where families feel valued. When parents feel supported, they engage more fully and confidently, and their children benefit from that sense of stability. Even simple supports like providing childcare or meals can remove barriers that keep parents from participating. When parents feel seen and heard, trust grows, and that trust strengthens the entire community.
Ty designs her resources with accessibility, creativity, and empathy. She believes that learning should be fun and that every family deserves access to tools that help them grow. Her children often test new ideas and help her understand what works across ages and personalities. She is intentional about creating tools that are affordable and usable for families from all backgrounds because she believes that everyone deserves support in building meaningful connections.
When asked what advice she would give to women, couples, or leaders who feel called to live with more intention, Ty always begins with the same simple truth. Start where you are. Begin with what excites you. Volunteer in areas that align with your strengths or spark your curiosity. Be honest about what you can give. Try different opportunities until you find a meaningful fit. Service is not one sided. The more you give, the more perspective, community, and purpose you receive in return. She also encourages people to annually reflect on their commitments. As life shifts, so do the ways we can contribute. Letting go of an old commitment can open the door for new growth.
Ty Salvant’s work reminds us that transformation begins with one honest conversation at a time. Whether she is guiding a family, leading a workshop, mentoring a couple, or creating tools that inspire reflection, her message remains steady. Be intentional. Slow down. Listen deeply. Lead with curiosity. And build a life that reflects the values you want to pass on. Her work continues to influence generations through the simple belief that when families thrive, communities flourish.
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