(HS Fisher 096198 2022) Healing Trauma in Couples Therapy: Two Contrasting Approaches

Course overview

Childhood trauma leaves survivors with a fundamental mistrust in the safety of relationships. As adults, they develop defenses against vulnerability, commitment, and emotion - either shutting down or getting stuck in mutually escalating conflicts with their partner. This session will demonstrate two very different styles of intervention with these clients. One will emphasize challenging the couple's ability to be emotionally authentic; the other will focus on the importance of somatic communication in helping couples connect. You'll discover how to: Help partners identify the role of trauma in their troubled relationships Challenge them to move beyond their stories and automatic responses Use nonverbal communication to reduce conflict and connect safely Evoke a couple's inherent capacity for authentic emotional connection and expression