CC17 Topical Panel 01 - Lies and Infidelity - Alex Katehakis, MA, MFT; Marty Klein, PhD; and Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT

Description:

Couples problems may be rooted in deception—infidelity is based in deception. Clinicians need to know how to assess and treat it.

Educational Objectives:

1. Describe three patterns of Couples deceptions.
2. List three methods to address deception.
3. Describe three patterns of infidelity.
4. List three treatment options for infidelity

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Keynote Introduction and Acknowledgments

• Speaker expresses gratitude to colleagues and highlights the collaborative, energetic nature of the event.

• Emphasizes the importance of new ideas and cross-disciplinary thinking.

Learning from Other Fields

• Encourages learning from fields like astronomy, animal behavior, art, science, law, and magic.

• Notes overlaps between therapists, spies, magicians, and hypnotists.

• Supports moving from single-theory to poly-theoretical models (e.g., integrating neurobiology).

Understanding Deception in Psychotherapy

• Deception is common: people lie ~10 times daily.

• Lying varies by personality and relationship type (e.g., introvert vs. extrovert, married vs. unmarried).

• Therapists must stay curious and investigative to uncover lies in therapy.

Types and Signs of Deception

• Includes lying, withholding, deflecting, and gaslighting.

• Truth detection involves comparing current behavior to an individual’s typical baseline.

• Important to recognize aggressive or evasive responses.

Non-Verbal Cues and Behavior

• Look for clusters of unusual actions, behavioral pauses, jerky or frozen movement.

• Micro expressions and facial shifts are key deception indicators.

• Movement of "anchor points" (e.g., hands, feet) can signal stress.

Arousal and Emotional Regulation

• High arousal affects behavior, facial expression, and verbal coherence.

• Signs include pupil dilation, changes in skin tone, and micro-shifts in facial muscles.

• The face is the primary channel for emotional signals.

Establishing Baselines

• Observe normal behavior patterns to detect deviations during stress or deception.

• Watch for over-control or under-control of facial expressions and affect.

• Deception shows up in clusters of subtle behavior changes.

Narrative Coherence

• Inconsistent stories, too much or too little detail, and contradictions may reveal deception.

• Pay attention to how smoothly a person narrates under pressure.

Use of Presumptive Techniques and Hyperbole

• Strong questions and exaggerated statements can provoke revealing responses.

• Helps test hypotheses and observe emotional or behavioral shifts.

Video Analysis and Frame Review

• Video recording helps spot micro expressions and non-verbal cues frame by frame.

• Used for training, feedback, and identifying deceptive patterns.

• Reinforces the importance of precise observation and understanding affect regulation.

Final Thoughts

• Therapists must be clear and grounded before acting on assumptions.

• Studying behavior under pressure is key to detecting deception.

• Video analysis and careful observation are powerful tools to improve therapeutic accuracy.