Counseling Couples Through the Parenting Years: An Attachment Perspective
PRESENTED BY LORI EPTING, LCMHC
Webinar Based Exam
2 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITs
BASE is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. BASE maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
DESCRIPTION
Research shows that an escalation in marital conflict and decline in marital satisfaction after couples become parents can make the parenting years a vulnerable time for couples (Shapiro, Gottman, & Carrere, 2000). There are various additional stressors that can accompany parenting that are linked to higher rates of depression/anxiety and marital discord (Lee, Furrow, & Bradley, 2017). Couples may find that their usual patterns of the relationship, communication, leisure time and physical intimacy, are altered dramatically as parents. Emotionally focused attachment interventions (Gottman & Gottman, 2017; Johnson, 2019) have proven to help couples find a safe haven in each other during exceptionally stressful times in parenting (Brigance, Brown, & Cottone, 2020).
This course is designed to increase mental health practitioner’s understanding of the common issues couples face in the parenting years (Shapiro, Gottman, & Carrere, S., 2000) and relational dynamics (Johnson, 2019) that can arise or exacerbate with the added stressors of parenting. The course will also provide an overview of empirically-based couples interventions (Gottman & Gottman, 2017; Johnson, 2019) that help couples experience the relationship as a safe haven for parenting stressors (Cloutier, Manion, Gordon-Walker, & Johnson, 2002).
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Based on the content of this workshop, you will be able to:
·Describe the common issues and relational dynamics that can exacerbate distress for couples during the parenting years through an attachment perspective.
·Explain the protective factors that mitigate a decline in marital satisfaction after couples become parents.
·Articulate the role of the couples therapist in supporting couples and the limitations to that role.
·Demonstrate attachment-based couples interventions that help couples respond to each other’s needs in a way that builds trust, intimacy and helps couples experience the relationship as a safe haven for parenting stressors.
AUDIENCE
This program is appropriate for licensed mental health licensed psychologists and other mental health practitioners who are interested in expanding their knowledge of couples therapy. Training is at an introductory level.
RESOURCES
American Psychological Association. (2020). Stress in the Time of COVID-19. Stress in America, 1, 1-3. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/stress-in-america-covid.pdf
Brigance, C.A., Brown, E.C., & Cottone, R.R. (2020). Therapeutic intervention for couples experiencing infertility: An emotionally focused couples therapy approach. The Family Journal. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1066480720973420
Cloutier, P., Manion, I., Gordon-Walker, J., & Johnson, SM. (2002). Emotionally focused interventions for couples with chronically ill children: A 2-year follow-up. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28(4), 391-398. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ j.1752-0606.2002.tb00364.x
Gottman, J. & Gottman, J. (2017). The Natural Principles of Love. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 9, 7–26. DOI:10.1111/jftr.12182
Johnson, S. (2019). Attachment theory in practice: Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) with individuals, couples, and families. New York, NY: Guildford Press.
Lee, N.A., Furrow, J.L., & Bradley, B.A. (2017). Emotionally focused couple therapy for parents raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(4), 662-673. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12225
Shapiro A.F., Fink B., & Gottman, J. (2015). Short-term change in couples’ conflict following a transition to parenthood intervention. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 4(4), 239–251. https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fcfp0000051
Shapiro A.F. & Gottman, J. (2005). Effects on marriage of a psycho-communicative educational intervention with couples undergoing the transition to parenthood, evaluation at 1- year post intervention. The Journal of Family Communication, 5(1), 1–24.
Shapiro, A.F., Gottman, J., & Carrere, S. (2000). The baby and the marriage: identifying factors that buffer against the decline in marital satisfaction after the first baby arrives. Journal of Family Psychology. 14(1), 59-70.
PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
There is no commercial support for this CE program, instructor, content of instruction, or any other relationship that could be construed as a conflict of interest. There is no endorsement of products.