Couples Therapy as a Treatment for Trauma

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Ellyn Bader, PhD Related seminars and products

The Couples Institute

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Ellyn Bader, PhD, is in private practice and is co-director of The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, California. Over the past 25 years she has conducted professional training programs in couples therapy and has trained therapists throughout the United States as well as Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. She is a past president of the International Transactional Analysis Association and a recipient of the Clark Vincent Award for an outstanding literary contribution to the field of marital therapy from the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Dr. Bader is frequently invited to speak at national and international conferences. She and her husband, Peter Pearson, PhD, coauthored the books, In Quest of the Mythical Mate: A Developmental Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment in Couples Therapy (Brunner/Mazel) and Tell Me No Lies: How to Face the Truth and Build an Honest Marriage (St. Martin’s Press).

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ellyn Bader is the director of The Couples Institute and receives compensation as a consultant. She receives royalties as a published author. Ellyn Bader receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ellyn Bader is a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Transactional Analysis Association, and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

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Objectives

1. Analyze the 5 different types of trauma
2. Appraise the role of early developmental trauma in couples development
3. Utilize couples therapy to help trauma survivors develop a strong sense of self 
4. Determine the role of shame in stalling couples development in therapy

Outline

Reframing Couples Therapy as Trauma Treatment 

• Introduction to the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy 
• Why couples therapy has been underutilized for trauma 
• The opportunity for healing within relational dynamics 

Identifying Types of Trauma in Couples Work 

• Overview of five types of trauma: 
  • Developmental trauma 
  • Interpersonal traumatic disillusionment 
  • Intergenerational 
  • Betrayal trauma 
  • Cultural/systemic trauma 
• How each type presents in couple dynamics 

Developmental Trauma and the Adult Couple Relationship 

• Impacts on trust, emotional regulation, and vulnerability 
• How early trauma shapes present-day patterns 
• Recognizing victim stances and coping defenses in each partner 

Trauma Between Partners 

• Understanding betrayal, infidelity, and chronic relational injuries 
• The role of disillusionment in stalled development 
• Techniques for re-engagement and relational rebuilding 

Individual vs. Couple-Based Trauma Treatment 

• Criteria for determining the appropriate setting for trauma work 
• Coordinating parallel individual and couples treatment 

The Role of Shame in Stalled Development 

• How shame operates beneath the surface of trauma responses 
• Identifying shame-based coping in partners 

Restoring Connection Through Developmental Growth 

• Strengthening the sense of self in the context of relationship 
• Facilitating empathy and differentiation 
• Using emotionally focused questions to deepen connection and growth 

Risks and Limitations 

• Discussion of the accuracy and utility of the materials presented, research limitations, and the severe and common risks associated with the content of the program 

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Social Workers
• Physicians 
• Psychologists
• Addiction Counselors