Anatomy of Intimacy: A Delicate Balance

Recent approaches to couples therapy emphasize the development of differentiation as the fundamental foundation of intimacy. Only when partners learn to define themselves, manage their reactivity and face the anxiety of their differences without collapsing will they find lasting intimacy (presented by Dr. Ellyn Bader). Other empirically-validated approaches, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (presented by Dr. Susan Johnson), accentuate fostering a secure attachment and creating new bonding interactions through reprocessing emotional experiences with their partners.

The Object Relations model (presented by Drs. Jill and David Sharpe) sees therapy as providing a safe holding environment to contain the anxiety of the couple while their transferences and projective identifications are analyzed. The ultimate goal is for partners to create their own empathic holding environment. Dr. Shelia Sharpe focuses on the effect in  adult relationships on different kinds of attachment. Dr. Harville Hendrix shows how to use the process of intentional dialogue to heal the wounds of past attachment failures in current intimate relationships by helping couples move from emotional symbiosis through differentiation to secure intimate connection.

Listeners will learn to:

·      Define the process of attachment and differentiation in intimate relationships.

·      Understand the difference between other-validated intimacy and self-validated intimacy and self-validated intimacy.

·      Distinguish between couples who need help to build a firmer attachment and those where the emphasis should be more on differentiation.

·      Understand the guiding principles of interdependence as a key to intimacy.

·      Assess distance regulation problems affecting partners who can’t get close yet can’t let go.

·      Know when to appropriately use empathy-based interventions and when more anxiety producing differentiation-based interventions are necessary.

This program includes the following tapes:

• (798) Pivotal Events in the Construction of a Secure Emotional Bond in Emotionally-Focused Therapy
• (799) Trauma, Sex and Intimacy
• (800) You're No Good! Devaluing as a Pattern of Connection & Separateness in Couples Relationships
• (801) Panel Discussion: Dr. Marion Solomon
• (802) Tell Me No Lies: Truth Telling in Intimate Relationships
• (803) The New Archetype of Partnership
• (804) Panel Discussion: Dr. Judith Anderson

Program CD Price: $60.00
Homestudy Price: $80.00
Homestudy Credit: 14 CEU Hours
Plus sales tax (for CA residents) & Shipping (Additional Shipping Charge for International Orders)
Total CD's: 10