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Coupling AND UNcoupling:  What Clinicians need to know about Divorce

This innovative training takes the Psychobiologic Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) into new territory by exploring how its principles can be applied not just to fostering healthier relationships, but also to guiding couples through the process of separation and divorce. While PACT traditionally aims to achieve “secure functioning” in relationships, this course offers therapists a framework for helping couples maintain these principles even as they uncouple.

The course integrates Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT) to illuminate the natural tensions and contradictions present in all relationships, such as autonomy vs. connection, openness vs. closeness, and predictability vs. novelty. Participants will gain theoretical insights and practical tools for bridging therapy and divorce mediation, equipping them to help couples navigate the complexities of uncoupling while fostering emotional health and secure functioning.

 https://nefesh.org/workshops/CouplingAND/view

Coupling AND UNcoupling:  What Clinicians need to know about Divorce


Tuesday, January 14th, 2025   6:00 PM EST
$59.99 Joy A. Dryer, Ph.D.

This innovative training takes the Psychobiologic Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) into new territory by exploring how its principles can be applied not just to fostering healthier relationships, but also to guiding couples through the process of separation and divorce. While PACT traditionally aims to achieve “secure functioning” in relationships, this course offers therapists a framework for helping couples maintain these principles even as they uncouple.

The course integrates Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT) to illuminate the natural tensions and contradictions present in all relationships, such as autonomy vs. connection, openness vs. closeness, and predictability vs. novelty. Participants will gain theoretical insights and practical tools for bridging therapy and divorce mediation, equipping them to help couples navigate the complexities of uncoupling while fostering emotional health and secure functioning.

About the Presenter

(Trainer, Joy Dryer, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist, Psychoanalyst and a Divorce Mediator. She works with individuals, couples, and families, and maintains a private practice in NYC and New Paltz New York. As a retired Adjunct Associate Professor in NYU’s Master Psychology program, she continues to teach and to supervise. Dr. Joy specializes in couples therapy using PACT, Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy. She integrates PACT’s powerful principles in her divorce mediation work where she often focuses on helping couples decide whether to stay, or to separate.)

This workshop Offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Name 3 assessment tools and how each helps the PACT therapist assess if both partners are committed to working on improving their relationship, OR if one or both is really headed out the door/ is considering uncoupling. [ECR-R, DAS, WAI]
  2. Describe 3 secure functioning criteria that the PACT therapist uses to help the couple decide whether to work on staying IN the relationship, or to work on separating/ uncoupling. [Team Shared Purpose, Theory of Mind, Mutual Regulation]
  3. Identify the 3 separation processes that couples can choose among. [Mediation, Collab. Divorce, Litigation].

Agenda:

AGENDA:

INTRO:  What is PACT?  what is RDT?  How these theories integrate to help couples decide to stay or to separate?  (20 min) 

ASSESSING:  three main types of tensions that arise in relationships:

  • Autonomy vs. connection: The tension between wanting independence / separation and wanting to be close to others/ intimacy.
  • Openness vs. closeness: The tension between wanting to share personal information/ express oneself and wanting to set boundaries/ be private.
  • Predictability vs. novelty: The tension between wanting stability  and wanting change and excitement 
  • Show video  of Couple #1 (10 min.) and Q & A & discuss above criteria (30)

DECIDING:  Secure functioning principles:  Shared purpose,  Theory of Mind,  Mutual Regulation

Show video of Couple #2 (10 min.) and Q & A & discuss above criteria (30)

REFERRING (separation options):  How to keep the Third Space of contradiction and loss

Show video of Couple #3 (10 min.) and Q & A & discuss above criteria (30)

Review & Summation.  (20 min) 

Final Q & A & discussion (20) 

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: introductory
Level of Clinician: beginner
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
Refund Policy: Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.