Introduction to couples counselling

This Introduction is a four day course and ideally all four days are needed to learn the basics of couples counselling. But it’s also possible to sign up for an initial two days (either days one and two, or days three and four) as a taster and then register for the other two days at a later date. It is planned to run this four day course three times per year (further dates will be posted asap).

Initial dates set for 2017:

Days one and two: 28th and 29th January 2017
Days three and four: 4th and 5th March 2017
Times: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Greenwich, London SE10, very close to DLR

Cost: £220 per two day introductory course; £410 per four day introductory course;

Early Bird price (before December 24th 2016): £200 per two day introductory course; £375 per four day introductory course

Choose from the following options:

Introduction to couples counselling: part one (28th and 29th January 2017)

Day one

• Philosophy and theory of couples counselling.
• The role of the therapist in couples counselling? Content versus process.
• Different models of couples counselling.
• Essential communication skills to teach your couples.
• The basics of non-confrontational communication; Therapist as ‘translator’.
• Couples dialogue; facilitating your couples expressing difference and frustration.

Day two

• Ethical dilemmas in couples counselling (seeing individuals separately concurrently with couple counselling; screening for domestic violence; addictions; confidentiality and keeping secrets; contact outside sessions).
• Transference in the couples relationship; mechanisms of attraction and partner selection; uncovering your unconscious relationship attraction pattern.
• Attachment vs. differentiation.
• Working with conflict and emotions.
• Attachment patterns and mechanisms of disconnection.
• Working with the couple’s defeating pattern or dance of disconnection.
• Introduction to couples counselling part two (4th and 5th March 2017).

Day three

• Ethical dilemmas in couples counselling.
• Stages of relationship from romance to power struggle to co-creation.
• Working with the stages and developmental tasks.
• Working with hostile couples; understanding and de-escalating conflict; bonding exercises.
• Working with avoidant couples; face the elephant in the room.

Day four

• Ethical dilemmas in couples counselling.
• Homework and exercises for couples clients.
• How to conduct your first couples session; theory and format; determining client intentions, motivation and how to proceed.
• How to conduct your first couples session; role plays.
• Making a treatment plan for the journey ahead.
• Questions; summary and end.