Working with Ambivalence post Extra-Marital Affair – An EFCT Approach

Date: 26 Jan 2019

Singapore

EMA is a crisis as it threatens the marriage. The impact of globalisation demands frequent travel or extended period of being away from home. As a result couples are forced to deal with chronic physical separation and deteriorating emotional connection. EMA is one of the most common presenting problems in couple therapy. Therapists have to deal with intense anger, hurt, fear, sadness, or guilt. Therapists often feel stuck when couples are ambivalent, indecisive, and confused about their commitment in the marriage. This one-day workshop is designed to address emotional and systemic factors on both intrapsychic and interactional levels associated with ambivalence using the EFCT.

What is EFCT?

Emotionally-Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) is a short term (8-20 sessions) structured approach to couples therapy formulated in the early 80’s by Drs. Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg. Substantial studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements.


Strength of EFCT

● Clear, explicit conceptualisations of relationship distress and adult love. These conceptualisations are supported by empirical research on the nature of marital distress and adult attachment.

● Change strategies and interventions are specified. The change process has been mapped into nine steps and specific change events.

● EFCT is empirically validated and there is also research on the change process and predictors of success.


Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants would be able to:

1) Explain the definitions of infidelity, couples’ typical reactions and characteristics, and unique clinical challenges.
2) Describe how infidelity impacts a couple’s distress from an attachment perspective, particularly their view on the past and future.
3) Understand and empathise ambivalence associated with betrayal, hurt, and fear after the discovery of EMA.
4) Identify roadblocks for relationship repair, decision making, and forgiveness.
5) Use specific strategies to identify treatment goals for partners who have different plans for their marriage.
6) Utilise emotion as the mechanism of change using EFCT interventions to reduce ambivalence and restructure new interaction.
7) Address cross-cultural factors and understanding about infidelity, particularly in an Asian context.


Workshop Presenter – Dr. Liu Ting

Ting Liu, PhD, is a certified EFT trainer, supervisor and therapist. She is licensed in Pennsylvania as a Marriage and Family Therapist and is an Approved Supervisor with the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy. She maintains a Private Practice in Wayne, PA.

Dr. Liu received her doctorate in Child Development and Family Studies with a specialisation in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Family Intervention Science at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her publications include four books she has translated into Chinese in the field of MFT and EFT. She has also published several journal articles on different applications of EFT, and wrote a chapter on multi-cultural therapy in the EFT casebook in English. She recently published a casebook of Chinese couples in 2018 and is currently involved in several outcome studies examining the cultural applicability of EFT to diverse populations.

Duration: 9 am to 4 pm

Venue: NTU@One North (Buona Vista)

Website: Go to event website

Contact: Email Organizer

Fees:
S$300
S$500 (for a group of two)
S$600 (for a group of three)

Language: English

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*Psychology Matters Asia is not the organizer of the posted event. If you have any enquires, please direct them to the contact in the information.