The Stuck Couples Toolkit for Therapists

Credit

Speaker

Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S Related seminars and products

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Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S, is an internationally certified sex therapist who has been practicing for more than 20 years. She works with individuals and couples on sexual dysfunction, sexual anxiety, couples therapy, parenting issues, sexuality and stress related to medical conditions. She has also worked extensively with people with ADHD, and anxiety. Ms. Kirkpatrick is certified through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is also an AASECT Certified Supervisor. She’s the Social Justice & Advocacy Committee Chair for the Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness (ACSSW) and has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy, inclusion, and couples therapy.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dana Kirkpatrick is the owner and director of Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dana Kirkpatrick has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Erica Cavill, LPC, CST Related seminars and products

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Erica Cavill, LPC, CST, is certified as a sex therapist through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) and the International Board of Sexuality Professionals (IBOSP). Erica specializes in working with individuals and couples on issues directly related to difficulties with sexual function, intimacy, trauma and intimacy after child loss. She also treats anxiety, depression, ADHD and mood disorders. Erica has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy and couple’s therapy.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Erica Cavill has an employment relationship with Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Erica Cavill has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Additional Info

Program Information

You will have access for 90 days after the program for review. For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. Please note that this requirement may vary by credit type. Please see detailed credit information for specific requirements for each credit type.

Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.

Objectives

1. Analyze the relationship between attachment insecurities (anxious, avoidant, disorganized) and relationship satisfaction and long-term stability.
2. Differentiate between three evidence-based models (e.g., EFT, Gottman, and IBCT) regarding their primary mechanisms of change.
3. Identify how the therapist’s own attachment history can impact their clinical presence and triggers during high-conflict couples work.
4. Utilize verbal and non-verbal strategies to maintain therapeutic neutrality and prevent triangulation or perceived bias.
5. Identify maladaptive relationship patterns rooted in breaches of relational ethics, such as unfairness or lack of reciprocity.
6. Utilize research-backed skills for apology and forgiveness to address breaches of trust (e.g., infidelity).

Outline

The Anatomy of Relational Conflict

• Common presenting concerns
• Surface concerns vs. deeper emotional needs
• How digital life and “technoference” impact intimacy
• Factors that predict therapeutic success vs. escalation

Models of Change in Couples Therapy:

Using Tools from EFT, Gottman Method and IBCT

• EFT, Gottman Method, and IBCT in accessible terms
• Mechanisms of change: emotional vs. behavioral pathways
• Model fit based on couple presentation and therapist style
• Evidence-based practice in insurance-driven systems
• Research, risks and limitations

Attachment Insecurity as a Survival Strategy

• Adult attachment patterns (anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
• Insecure attachment as adaptive and protective
• How attachment wounds show up as conflict, rupture, and withdrawal

From Internal Experience to Relational Cycles

• Create a safe space for sharing emotions, desires, and fears
• Access primary emotion beneath reactivity
• Map out the maladaptive pattern happening during conflict
• Implement new ways of communicating to disrupt the pattern

The “Ghost” in the Room: Holding a Systemic Lens in Individual Work

• Explore how the couple system shows up in individual therapy
• Maintain a relational lens when only one partner is present
• The ethics of secrets and divided loyalties
• Form systemic hypotheses without a joint context

Relational Ethics: Fairness, Power, and, Invisible Labor

• Patterns rooted in perceived unfairness
• How resentment develops from imbalanced labor and roles
• The impact of gender socialization and mental load
• Interventions that support accountability and repair

Rebuilding after Betrayal

• Atonement (accountability), attunement (connection), attachment (rebuilding intimacy)
• Differentiate forgiveness from trust-building
• Research-informed apology and repair skills

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Psychologists
• Case Managers
• Addiction Counselors
• Other Mental Health Professionals