In March I wrote a blog for Huffington Post commenting on Gwyneth Paltrow’s announcement of her separation and “conscious uncoupling” from her husband, lead singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin. In that blog I discussed how this idea of conscious uncoupling is becoming more popular and what benefits it provides for couples and families who are trying to heal.
Most couples realize that divorce is devastating and they try to avoid it. They know it can be rough on their children and make it difficult to create future relationships. Divorce can drain both partners of financial security. Divorce can also turn what was tender and special about a marriage into bitterness and resentment, a poison well that can last for a lifetime. But for some of us, it seems that there are no other options. Sometimes marriage has an expiration date. When time runs out, we get to the end, and we are done. And we want out.
Today, a divorce can be done differently. We have choices in how we handle divorce, if we choose to do it consciously and with intention. Choosing a conscious or intentional divorce or separation means that we choose to do what is best for our children, best for our emotional selves and what will be best for us in the long run. And we choose it now, before we get activated or triggered by fear. We act instead of reacting.
Couples therapists have a unique opportunity to help clients who are considering divorce and would like to move through the process with minimal harm done. In the past few years I’ve offered a few tele classes devoted to divorce and this summer we’re offering a special deal on my most popular tele classes on divorce – save 20% off the total purchase price!
Purchase the Divorce Bundle: Three Teleclasses on Divorce to save $99 on the total purchase price!
The Intentional Divorce: A New Frontier, a two-part teleclass with Wendy Patterson & Dr. Tammy Nelson for 2 AASECT and 2 IMAGO CEs
Teleclass Overview: Therapists often struggle with providing couples – and co-creating with them – effective strategies and rituals around their decision to divorce. Being intentional with couples around their rituals, negotiations, and decisions about ending the marriage, however, significantly improves the couple’s chance of ending the relationship emotionally intact, rather than succumbing to the cultural default of lawyers and litigation and turmoil. Using principles of Imago Therapy, this course explores and provides therapists with new ways to work with couples in an effort to have an intentional, conscious, good divorce during and after which the individuals, their children, and their families are healthy and whole.
Love & Death in Marriage and Affairs: Reconciling Love & Hate in Committed Relationships, a 2-hour teleclass with Dr. Janis Abrahms Spring and Dr. Tammy Nelson for 2 AASECT CEs
Teleclass Overview: What no one talks about: our deepest resentments and secret fear that we really hate our partner and that our marriage is dead. How does our beloved become our worst enemy – the most annoying person in our universe? How can we contain and reverse the catastrophic dullness we experience in marriage? What tools can we offer to our patients (and ourselves) to keep love alive and juicy? How do couples reconcile after an affair when there’s more uncertainty, hurt, and despair than love?
Advances in Couples Therapy: Treating the Untreatable – Sexual Desire, Infidelity and Divorce, a 5-hour teleclass with Esther Perel and Dr. Tammy Nelson for 5 AASECT or Imago CEs
Teleclass Overview: Join two world-renowned sexuality and relationship experts for another exciting and rewarding course exploring clinical perspectives and interventions for the really tough situations of couples struggling with desire, affairs and even divorce. Using case examples and hands-on interventions, this teleseminar will focus on the seemingly hopeless crises and make-or-break stalemates, and will provide tools enabling both the therapist and client to shift into a new vision for the couple — and a new future for the therapeutic relationship and marriage.
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