Therapy for Partner Aggression and Abuse – December 3-4, 2026

The Gottman Institute is excited to bring you a new clinical training presented by Carrie Cole, PhD, and Donald Cole, DMin, Research and Clinical Directors at The Gottman Institute: Therapy for Partner Aggression and Abuse. This training will expand our co-morbidities courses, and you will learn valuable skills that are relevant to your practice.

December 3-4, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Pacific Time.

What you will learn

How to differentiate between situational and characterological partner aggression
How to manage physiological escalation
How to enhance your understanding of current partner dynamics
How to help your couples repair the relationship
How to help your couples reconnect

Drs. Carrie and Don Cole present a new training on therapy for partner aggression and abuse.

Research shows that up to 78% of couples entering treatment report experiences of verbal aggression, making it essential for clinicians to recognize and respond effectively in sessions.

In this training, Drs. Carrie and Don Cole will define intimate partner aggression (IPA) and explore its relationship to domestic violence. You’ll examine multiple forms of aggression, factors that contribute to them, characterological partner aggression.

You’ll learn how to address and treat partner aggression using Gottman interventions when appropriate. This course will also guide you through four key treatment goals for couples:

– Managing physiological escalation

– Enhancing your understanding of current partner dynamics

– Repairing the relationship

– Reconnecting with your partner

By the end of this training, you will have the knowledge and tools to confidently identify, assess, and treat partner aggression, empowering you to create safer, more connected relationships for the couples you serve.

Investing in this course means investing in your professional growth and your clients’ wellbeing.

Included Content

This online course includes:

10.5 hours of video including video from a recent workshop conducted by Drs. Carrie and Don Cole
An interactive PDF manual
Online quiz and eligibility for 10.5 CE hours awarded by CBI Center for Education
Certificate of Completion from The Gottman Institute

Target Audience: Intermediate

Prerequisites: None

Participants working in the following fields will benefit from this training:

Mental health providers
Allied professionals and clergy
Students and interns
Family clinic staff
Professors/teachers of couples therapy
Researchers in the social sciences
Employee assistance professionals

Customer Service

Please see the Gottman Help Center for questions or to submit a request for assistance.

ADA Needs

We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs. Please submit a request through the Gottman Help Center.

Categories: Digital Materials, Online Learning, Professionals

Learning Objectives

When you conclude this training, you will have the knowledge and skills to better work with couples working through partner aggression. Specifically, you will be able to:

Identify situational versus characterological aggression.
Categorize between the strategies for dealing with characterological aggression.
Discover the four major treatment goals for reducing aggression in couples.
Apply proper treatment strategies for bidirectional aggression and for unidirectional aggression.
Differentiate underlying contributing factors to Intimate Partner Aggression and how these can be dealt with in therapy.
Examine four treatment goals.
Apply treatment goals with couples experiencing partner aggression in their relationship.

Carrie Cole, PhD, LPC-S, LMHC

is the Love Lab Director and Research Director for The Gottman Institute. She is also a licensed professional counselor and an approved LPC supervisor. Dr. Carrie Cole holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and a PhD in psychology with a specialization in research. Her work with couples includes couples therapy, workshops, seminars, and intensive marathon sessions. Dr. Cole is also an Advanced Gottman Method Clinical Trainer, an Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop Leader, a Consultant for the Certification Track, and a video reviewer for the Certification Track.

Don Cole, DMin, LMHC

is the Clinical Director for The Gottman Institute. He is a licensed Mental Health Counselor and received the Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy from Garrett-Evangelical Seminary at Northwestern University. His work with couples includes therapy, workshops, seminars, and intensive marathon sessions. He is also an Advanced Gottman Method Clinical Trainer, an Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop Leader, and a Consultant for the Certification Track.

Faculty Disclosures

Non-financial: Dr. Carrie Cole has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose. Non-financial: Dr. Don Cole has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose.

This course is approved for 10.5 Continuing Education (CE) credits from the CBI Center for Education. The on-demand CEs are for APA. Cost: $40.

To purchase CEs, follow the steps below:

STEP 1: Create an account on CBI Center for Education

STEP 2: Complete the course and exam with 80% or better and a CE link will be provided.

CBI Center for Education is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CBI Center for Education maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Disclosure: No external commercial support has been received for this CE program, and there are no known conflicts of interest for the instructors or trainers. No additional purchase of Gottman materials is required to apply the knowledge and clinical concepts presented in this training within the scope of professional practice. All course materials remain subject to The Gottman Institute’s copyright, trademark, and Proper Use requirements.

$499.00

December 3-4, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Pacific Time.

Therapy for Partner Aggression and Abuse – December 3-4, 2026

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