Affairs: Helping Couples Heal - Live Online (3 CE)

Affairs represent a significant stressor in a couple's relationship. Affairs are one of the most commonly cited reasons why couples dissolve their relationships, and helping couples cope with affairs and discover the underlying dynamic that lead to the affair is an integral part of couples therapy. This presentation is designed to assist clinicians in working with couples that have been impacted by affairs.

The topics covered include the factors which contribute to affairs, such as workplace and online affairs, and precipitating dynamics within the relationship. Treatment issues specific to the betrayed partner such as "post-infidelity stress disorder", coping with shattered expectations and expressing feelings are presented. Treatment issues related to the unfaithful partner are also described, including developing accountability and openness, contacting the former lover, and exploring the meaning of the affair. For those couples who decide to stay together, therapists also learn some clinical approaches for helping them to build trust and repairing the affair's impact on children.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Learn how to diffuse the immediacy of the conflict between the couple.
2. Facilitate exploration of the factors that led to the affair and the subsequent feelings of betrayal, depression etc.
3. Create manageable steps for the couple working through an affair.
4. Assist couples who are desirous of staying together in fostering a stronger relationship to help prevent future affairs.