Day One Outline:

The Research: What Makes Relationships Succeed or Fail?

  • What is different about Gottman Method Couples Therapy?
  • What is dysfunctional about relationships when they are ailing?
  • The “Masters” and the “Disasters” of relationships.  Exploding some common myths.
  • Negative and Positive sentiment overrides
  • Friendship, Intimacy, Positive Affect Systems
  • The Shared Meaning System
  • From a checklist to The Sound Relationship House Theory

How to Assess a Relationship:

Introduction to Intervention

  • Philosophy of the therapy – Six assumptions

The Assessment Sessions:

  • Session 1:
    • Couple’s Narrative
    • Oral history interview
    • Conflict evaluation
    • Discuss the Shared Meaning System
    • Preparing the couple for Individual Sessions
    • Written Questionnaires
  • Session 2: Individual Interviews
  • Session 3: Therapeutic Contract – Discussing and Deciding about Goals
    • Summary of strengths and areas that need improvement
    • Treatment Planning
  • Demonstration films

Day Two Outline:

Introduction to Intervention

  • Philosophy of the therapy – Six assumptions

Conflict Management

  • Rapoport Intervention and demonstration film
  • Ending the Four Horsemen, Dealing with Flooding and demonstration film
  • Dreams within Conflict Intervention and demonstration film
  • Building the Basic Skills
    • Softened Startup
    • Accepting Influence
    • Repair and De-escalation
    • Physiological Soothing
    • Compromise
  • Aftermath of a Fight or Regrettable Incident and demonstration film

Building Friendship and Shared Meaning

  • Build Love Maps and demonstration film
  • Turn Towards: The Stress-Reducing Conversation and demonstration film
  • Build Rituals of Connection and demonstration film
  • Create Shared Meaning and demonstration film

Process of the Therapy
Summary
What’s Next: Additional Training