Navigating Race and Gender: Couple Therapy in the Age of Trump

The feminist assertion that the political is personal is invariably in play in relationships, even when not readily evident. However, the effects of this equation have surged to a new intensity in the face of the onslaught of the current political climate. This is particularly true for members of marginalized groups and others who care deeply about social justice. This workshop will identify key themes related to oppression, and strategies in couple therapy to address legacies and current manifestations of sexism and racism. thandiwe D. Watts-Jones, PhD., LMFT and Julia Chan, LCSW will draw on work of the Healing Oppressive Legacies Project, a team of three women of color, with two interracial, heterosexual couples. Challenges such as disparity in ‘wokeness’ in the partners, the invisibility and fragility of Whiteness, and self of the therapist triggers and blind spots will be identified and discussed. Strategies to address these issues will be explored. Video clips of clinical sessions, experiential exercises and relevant readings will be utilized.

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Working with Reactivity in Couples and Families: A Buddhist Psychological Approach to Strong Emotions

Emotions are filters for how we experience our selves and the significant people in our lives. When in the grip of a strong emotion, there is a narrowing of attention, which inhibits our capacity to see things clearly. This is particularly true with the compelling nature of negative emotions. When we feel injured, threatened, or shamed, we are at risk of using our thoughts, language, and action unskillfully. Drawing on a Buddhist influenced psychological perspective, this workshop taught by David Kezur, LCSW, will focus on the nature of emotional experience and the way it can cause havoc and harm in relationships.

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A Complex Approach to the Systemic Therapist: The Crisol Model

This workshop will immerse you in the clinical model developed by the internationally renowned team, Javier Vicencio, MD, Judith Gomez de Leon, LMF, and Flora Auron Zaltzman, PhD, of the Crisol Postgraduate Center for Family and Couple Therapy in Mexico. The Crisol Institute is one of the leading systemic training and service providers with Mexican families, couples and individuals since 1989. The Crisol epigenetic model aroused from multiple epistemological theories and considers the therapist as a scientist, a theorist, a humanist and an artist. The workshop will illustrate how to work with dilemmas emerging from personal, clinical or supervisory roles.

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Working with Muslim Individuals and Families: Culturally Competent Care

The Muslim community within the United States is one of the largest growing communities and is diverse in its immigration history, educational background, socioeconomic status, beliefs and values, and other cultural identities. This has prompted the need to develop culturally competent and effective assessment and intervention strategies while working with Muslim families. Muslims vary in their ethnic identities and originate from multiple countries. Many are foreign born and have recently immigrated, and others are second and third generation immigrants. Rupa M. Khetarpal, MA, MSW, LCSW will provide an experiential overview of some of the characteristics that contribute towards the Muslim identity including geography, migration, historical roots, religious beliefs, ethnic and cultural identity issues, leading to the current experience of Muslim families as they live within a highly politicized environment, exposed to consistent and indiscriminate negative attitudes and emotions directed at themselves and to Islam.

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Breathwork and Meditation for Therapists: Integrate Stress-Reduction Techniques into Your Practice

Psychotherapists can benefit greatly from mind-body practices rooted in yoga, Qigong, and Buddhist meditation. Coherent Breathing with gentle movements and Open Focus Attention Training are highly effective self-regulation techniques that help relieve anxiety and insomnia, improve mental focus, increase feelings of well-being, activate social engagement systems, and enhance capacities for bonding, closeness, and empathy. With practice, it can be done during daily activities to enhance and optimize brain, heart and lung function, while stimulating the nervous system’s relaxation response. Through the experience of repeated rounds of breathwork and meditation presented by Richard P. Brown,http://www.ackerman.org/breathwork-and-meditation-for-therapists/science of breath practices and supporting research. Those interested in learning how to teach these practices to clients will obtain information on tools and opportunities for such training.

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Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)

Through a combination of lecture, videotape, observation of live interviews and exercises presented by Sue Johnson, EdD and George Faller LMFT, participants will learn to identify the basic stages and steps of Emotionally Focused Therapy and to help couples recognize and de-escalate problematic cycles of interaction. Participants will also learn to help couples create or restore the emotional bond between them once the negative cycle, and the attachment needs that drive it has been understood.

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