Couples therapist Ellyn Bader and Mindsight Institute CEO Caroline Welch will explore how mindfulness can provide an accessible, useful tool in couples therapy, not only for the therapist, the two individuals, and their relationship, but also for the therapeutic process. Mindfulness can be practically applied through Caroline Welch’s 3Ps approach of Purpose, Pivoting, and Pacing to cultivate more resilience which is important to cultivate in couples therapy.
Desire resides at the intersection of multiple systems, encompassing purely sexual aspects, numerous physiologic components, and a vast web of emotional, spiritual, and relational issues. In this skills-based presentation, Martha shares her approach to understanding complicated interconnected presenting symptoms, relational dynamics, and conceptualizing and treating issues related to desire.
This keynote will highlight core themes that are imperative for therapists to consider before working with relational systems that exist beyond the purview of heteronormativity. Specific topics will include becoming aware of ones sexological world views, understanding and working with sexual and relational health, and exploring what variant sexual, erotic and relational systems may offer heteronormative and monogamous couples in terms of increasing vulnerability, differentiation, and deepening relational attunement.
Since life is lived in the Space-Between and remembered in the Space-Within, the quality of “interaction” between intimate partners determines the content of subjective life. Using the power of Imago Dialogue facilitated by the therapist, couples are empowered to achieve their own transformation. Participants at this presentation will hear and see a demonstration of the essences of the process.
Dr. Giammattei will present the underlying framework that therapists who work with transgender or gender expansive (TGE) couples need to understand in order to provide gender affirming treatment. He will share ways to explore your own hetero/cis-normative beliefs around coupling and how these influence the models you choose, the questions you ask, and the interventions you use. While TGE couples experience many of the same issues as other couples, we will explore the minority stress and unique stressors that impact these issues in profound ways.