Psychodynamic Couple & Family Institute of New England

Key Concepts in Working with Couples

David Goldfinger, Ph.D.

For each of the following components of psychodynamic treatment, to be able to identify two ways in which the couple's therapist must make a shift from their work with individuals: (1) evaluation, (2) formulation, and (3) intervention
To be able to identify three concepts from attachment theory that help in recognizing dysfunctional patterns and offer possible choice points for intervention
To be able to identify three concepts from family systems theory that help in recognizing dysfunctional patterns and possible choice points for intervention

The Formation of the Therapeutic Alliance in Couple Therapy

Brent Reynolds, LMHC

To be able to trace the history and evolution of the concept of the therapeutic alliance from psychoanalysis to couple and family therapy
To be able to describe some of the challenges of developing and maintaining multiple alliances in couple therapy
To be able to identify and apply effective treatment strategies to nurture the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy
To be able to describe how the therapist's facilitation of the process of play, in relation to and between the couple, undergirds the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy

Evaluation and Formulation

Tamara Feldman Ph.D.

Transference and Countertransference in Couple Therapy

Jennifer Stone, Ph.D.

To be able to understand and describe the differences between individual and couple therapy in the typical transferences that clients experience
To be able to recognize and address the partner-to-partner transferences that lie at the center of many couples' difficulties
To be able to recognize and describe the countertransference reactions that couple therapy can evoke in therapists, and to broaden options for dealing with these reactions

Therapeutic Action in Couple Therapy

David Goldfinger, Ph.D.

To be able to identify two important historical shifts in the psychoanalytic theory of therapeutic action
To be able to help partners in a couple understand the other's dynamic history of thwarted longings, and recognize how these are playing out in their dynamic
To be able to define Ezriel's terms "required relationship" and "avoided relationship" and recognize how these lead to mutual defensive systems in couples

Relationship as a Developmental Process/Opportunity

Mary Kiely, Ph.D.

To be able to describe the therapeutic usefulness of a developmental perspective in couple therapy
To be able to describe how developmental growth in relationships can stall as a result of normative transitions, individuals' developmental histories, and cultural myths about relationship
To be able to identify ways to intervene with couples using a developmental perspective

Behind Closed Doors: Sex in Couple Therapy

Magdalena Fosse, Psy.D.

To be able to explain the importance of sexual history assessment in evaluating partners' relational narratives
To be able to describe couples' distress with their sex life and assess its implications on couples' overall functioning
To be able to recognize and assess the impact of race, gender, and culture on couples' psychosexual dynamics

Working with Affect

Marina Kovarsky, LICSW

- To be able to trace the evolution of how awareness of the centrality of affect emerged in psychodynamic thought
- To be able to describe ways in which disruptive affects in the treatment and in the couple's relationship serve as important markers of early developmental relational ruptures and adaptations by each member of the couple
- To be able to identify ways in which the therapist can use a dynamic formulation to promote empathy and offer containment and co-regulation

Addressing "isms" and Microaggressions with Interracial Couples

Sejal Patel, Psy.D.

To be able to understand and describe common and unique themes in working with interracial couples
To be able to understand and list five manifestations of "modern isms" and categories of microaggressions
To be able to consider and explain the various historically included and excluded identities of various members of the couple and oneself
To be able to learn and apply skills and language for addressing possible "modern isms" and microaggressions in sessions while reducing defensiveness, shame, and preserving the therapeutic alliance between the couple and therapist

From the Intrapsychic to the Interpersonal: Defensive Processes in Couples Therapy

Joe Shay, Ph.D.

To be able to describe the manifestations of the defensive projective identification in couples therapy
To be able to identify ways to intervene more effectively in the presence of defensive processes
To be able to identify common countertransference reactions in the presence of defensive processes