UNBROKEN BONDS: EFT & Relationship Betrayals

DESCRIPTION:

Couples dealing with major trust betrayals is often the most frequent presenting concern in couple therapy. Although a common reason given for divorce, many couples seek treatment to heal their relationship following an affair rather than pursue its end. This training reviews practices and resources that help couples work through the injury of a betrayal and its collateral impact using Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. This advanced Master Class involves a full-day of didactic training including examples of couples working through these injuries. The training also provides opportunity for focused case reviews addressing specific questions and treatment issues focused on repairing relationship betrayals commonplace in everyday clinical practice. Demonstration and discussion of EFT practice based upon clinical cases brought by workshop participants. Our format provides opportunity for moment-to-moment discussions of the EFT process in betrayal repair, as well as experiential exercises that integrate EFT theory and practice.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This workshop provides a practical review of the assessment and treatment of these injuries using the EFT Attachment Injury Resolution Model (AIRM). The workshop will include video and case demonstrations illustrating key moments in the process of Attachment Injury Resolution, and therapist practices necessary for restoring healing and safety to a couple’s relationship after an affair.

By attending, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the impact of relationship betrayal on a couple relationship.

2. Identify the impact of relationship betrayal on the process of couple therapy

3. Critique partner betrayals and related distress using attachment theory.

4. Identify factors associated with resilience in face of relationship loss, trauma, and adjustment.

5. Describe the process and characteristics of recovery from a relationship betrayal.

6. Conceptualize the treatment of attachment injuries within the EFT process of change.

7. Review process for disclosure of a relationship betrayal.

8. Apply EFT interventions that foster stabilization in the context of heightened distress common following disclosure of relationship betrayals.

9. Practice EFT interventions used in accessing and processing emotional blocks associated with relationship betrayals.

10. Recommend partner’s access and sharing of pain, loss, and remorse associated related to an attachment injury.

11. Practice EFT interventions and practices that enable couples to renew trust and re-engage new patterns of security following a relationship injury.