About this course

Learning Objectives

• Initiate an animal visualization to obtain initial understandings of the couple's attachment pattern.
• List the three steps of the "3P's " visualization for lifting depression.
• Explain how a Concerns Dump facilitates conflict resolution, ie, problem-solving.
• Name at least three pathologies that can be the underlying sources of excessive anger in a marriage.
• Describe parental alienation syndrome, including at least two of the underlying psychopathologies of spouses who are at risk post-divorce (or earlier) for this phenomenon.
• Explain how the statement "Narcissism is a listening disorder" clarifies how to diagnose narcissism in the context of couple therapy.

Learning Levels

• Beginning couple therapists
• Experienced therapists who are adding couple therapy to their treatment offerings.
• Experienced therapists looking to expand their treatment toolkit and to integrate their multiple methodologies into one unifying conceptual map.

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Susan Heitler

  Dr. Heitler

  Dr. Heitler first opened her private practice as a clinical psychologist almost 50 years ago. From her Denver office, in addition to treating both individual and couple therapy clients, Dr. Heitler has written 6 books, journal articles, plus over 300 psychologytoday.com blogposts that have garnered over 26 million reads.

  In response to her innovative perspectives, Dr. Heitler has been invited to speak on her treatment methods in most states of the US plus on almost every continent including Europe, Australia, China, India, and throughout the Middle East. In Lebanon she was chosen as the keynote speaker for the first-ever gathering of the Arab Psychological Association.

  Dr. Heitler's contributions have focused particularly on the importance of win-win conflict resolution skills for sustaining individual and also couple and family emotional health.

  Dr. Heitler's writings have earned high praise, starting with her first major book, From Conflict to Resolution, a book reviewed in the British Journal of Psychiatry as "a modern refreshing book . . . A highly commendable read for all therapists, particularly those striving to practice in what they hope is an integrative way" and by a practicing therapist in Alabama as "the best clinical psychology book I have ever read."

References

• Weitz E, Kleiboer A, van Straten A, Cuijpers P. (2018). The effects of psychotherapy for depression on anxiety symptoms: a meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. 48(13):2140-2152. doi:10.1017/S0033291717003622
• Lemmens, L. H. J. M., Arntz, A., Peeters, F. P. M. L., Hollon, S. D., Roefs, A., & Huibers, M. J. H. (2015). Clinical effectiveness of cognitive therapy v. interpersonal psychotherapy for depression: results of a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine, 45(10), 2095-2110. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715000033
• Kolovos, S., Kleiboer, A., & Cuijpers, P. (2016). Effect of psychotherapy for depression on quality of life: meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 209(6), 460-468.
• Heitler, S. (2016). Prescriptions without pills: For relief from depression, anger, anxiety, and more. NY: Morgan James Publishing.
• Heitler, S. (1990). From conflict to resolution: Skills and strategies for individual, couple, and family therapy. NY: Norton.
• Bernet, W. (2020). Parental alienation and misinformation proliferation. Family Court Review, 58(2), 293-307.
• Goldin, D. S., & Salani, D. (2020). Parental alienation syndrome: What health care providers need to know. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 16(5), 344-348.
• Öncü, B. K., & Kişlak, Ş. T. (2022). Marital adjustment and marital conflict in individuals diagnosed with ADHD and their spouses. Archives of Neuropsychiatry, 59(2), 127. DOI: 10.29399/npa.27502