USE TOOLS TO SOLVE YOUR COUPLES PROBLEMS!
The focus of this presentation was to present therapists with user-friendly TOOLS for couples therapy in order to guide growth and assist couples to:
*stop being STUCK in BLAMING
*increase INSIGHT into healthier PATTERNS
*develop more MATURE BEHAVIOR
*to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, SHOW MORE EMPATHY, FEEL HEARD, BE NOURISHING, be less CODEPENDENT, and more
Therapists are often overwhelmed and confused by the daunting challenges of working with couples. It's important to avoid triangulation with one partner, taking sides, counter-transference, and the trap of giving advice. Using TOOLS with couples guides the couples to take their own responsibility for growth, to learn to be a team, to facilitate each other to feel heard, and to stop blaming and acting out anger and passive-aggressive patterns. Just giving couples "good advice" isn't enough for real growth and change!
TOOLS TO SOLVE YOUR COUPLES PROBLEMS gives therapists some user-friendly tools to help their couples grow into healthier and more mature patterns with each other. Therapists often feel overwhelmed with the daunting task of getting high-conflict, dependent or immature partners to stop venting and blaming, take responsibility, show empathy and be a team. Couples need specific tools to stop being triggered and reacting, to avoid shutting down, and "get out of their heads." These tools are also very useful for clients with anxiety, anger and negative thinking. Use tools with both your individual clients as well as your couples!
Participants will gain:
1. some specific user-friendly tools/skills/steps for couples growth
2. understanding how to avoid triangulation, siding with a partner, unprofessional alliances
3. knowledge of how to use homework effectively with couples
4. knowledge of how to increase couples insight & responsibility
Dr. Wheeler has been in private practice since 1978. During this time she has focused on creating tools to guide couples’ issues and increase couples’ skills. She leads monthly workshops based on the skills and tools in her books (on amazon.com) HIGHER LEVEL LOVE-TOOLS FOR HEART-CENTERED LOVE. She has also been a presenter at other CAMFT chapters and at the CAMFT conference, and now trains interns, is a CE provider, and will be offering workshops for therapists interested in using tools in their practice. Her workshops are described at higherlove-workshop.com.
Training Evaluation – Summary Scores and Comments
Date: October 23, 2015 N=37
Title: Couples’ Tools: Moving Beyond Stuck to Connected
Presenter(s): Dr. Catherine Wheeler
- 1. All evaluators rated the level of presentation as “About Right”
- 2. (Average score based on 1-5 Scale
a. Announcements accurately represented presentation ___4.7___
b. Preparation of presenter for the training ___4.6___
c. Objectives clearly presented and met ___4.6___
d. Knowledge of presenter regarding topic ___4.9___
e. Clarity of presentation ___4.4___
f. Presentation held your interest ___4.9___
g. Usefulness of presentation for you ___4.7___
h. Opportunity for questions and adequacy of response ___4.4___
i. Usefulness of handouts ___4.4___
j. How well cultural competency issues were addressed ___3.1___
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
k. Your knowledge & understanding of the topic prior to the training ___3.2___
l. Your Knowledge & understanding of the topic after the Training ___4.4__
Comments: Excellent, Knowledgeable, Informative, Great Energy and motivation (16)
A more organized hand out would have helped, (4)
Would have liked more on cultural issues (5)
Ideas for other programs: Promoting my business, Dual Dx; Electronic Communication and Confidentiality; Inland Regional Center;