When an individual client is struggling with chronic ambivalence about whether to

stay in a marriage or a long-term committed relationship, the therapist may also

struggle with how to be helpful. Research shows that up to 22% of married

individuals in any given year have serious divorce ideation. Most won’t divorce in

the short run, but use individual therapy to process their ambivalent feelings

about staying married.

These therapy sessions are often dominated by the ups and downs of a stuck

relationship, making it difficult to work on other therapeutic issues that may be

closer to your clinical expertise.

This workshop provides tools and strategies that therapists can use with their

individual clients who are unsure about whether to stay in, seek couples therapy,

or leave their marriage.

This presentation also provides concrete skills for making referrals, when

appropriate, for discernment counseling, a brief model designed specifi cally for

couples when one partner is leaning out of the marriage but unsure about divorce

or seeking couples therapy, and the other partner wants to preserve the

relationship.

This is an intensely practical workshop that is backed by research on divorce

ambivalence. Participants will receive many sample lines of communication to use

with clients as well as key strategies to avoid bad-story-of-the-week individual

therapy or premature referrals to couples therapy with clients who are not

motivated to work on their marriage right now.

Join Dr. Courtney Freiman for a presentation designed for therapists who want a clear, simple understanding of this process, when to refer, and how it can help couples in crisis.