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The Stuck Couples Toolkit for Therapists
Break the Cycle of Blame, Stonewalling & Fighting with EFT, IBCT & Gottman Tools
- Speakers:
- Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S | Erica Cavill, LPC, CST
- Duration:
- Approx 6 hrs
- Copyright:
-
Dec 10, 2026
- Publisher:
- PESI, Inc.
- Product Code:
- RNV151028
- Media Type:
- DVD - Also available: Digital Seminar | Live Webinar
Description
- How attachment wounds show up as conflict – and what to do about it
- Uncover unmet emotional needs driving reactivity
- Tools to work through unspoken resentments
- Explore the ethics of secrets and divided loyalties
- New communication techniques to interrupt patterns keeping them stuck
- Apology and repair skills that really work
You’ve had “that couple” in your caseload. The same 5pm on Thursday … for what feels like forever.
And sure – they do the homework. Maybe even have some good weeks …
But the core dynamic driving their problems? It hasn’t budged.
That’s why we created this training with Erica Cavill, LPC, CST and Dana Kirkpatrick LPC, CST, CST-S …
… so you can move therapy away from “just more talking” and toward the kind of pattern disruption these couples need to rebuild trust, restructure their relationship, and actually heal.
They’ll show you how to use some of the very best tools and techniques from EFT Couples Therapy, Gottman Method, and IBCT to:
- Dive deep into attachment patterns to see what each partner is really reaching for
- Find the hidden emotional needs driving their reactivity and distance
- Uncover and resolve resentment that’s been quietly eroding their bond
- Help client communicate in ways that aren’t just insightful, but help disrupt the patterns keeping them stuck
If you’ve been trying to move entrenched couples past the same looping conversations and looking for interventions that create real change, this program gives you the structure, tools, and confidence to finally shift the dynamic.
Purchase now!
Credit
Speaker
Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S Related seminars and products
Dana Kirkpatrick, LPC, CST, CST-S, is an internationally certified sex therapist who has been practicing for more than 20 years. She works with individuals and couples on sexual dysfunction, sexual anxiety, couples therapy, parenting issues, sexuality and stress related to medical conditions. She has also worked extensively with people with ADHD, and anxiety. Ms. Kirkpatrick is certified through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and is also an AASECT Certified Supervisor. She’s the Social Justice & Advocacy Committee Chair for the Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness (ACSSW) and has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy, inclusion, and couples therapy.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dana Kirkpatrick is the owner and director of Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dana Kirkpatrick has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Erica Cavill, LPC, CST Related seminars and products
Erica Cavill, LPC, CST, is certified as a sex therapist through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) and the International Board of Sexuality Professionals (IBOSP). Erica specializes in working with individuals and couples on issues directly related to difficulties with sexual function, intimacy, trauma and intimacy after child loss. She also treats anxiety, depression, ADHD and mood disorders. Erica has spoken at both national and local conferences on sex therapy and couple’s therapy.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Erica Cavill has an employment relationship with Calm Pittsburgh. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Erica Cavill has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Objectives
- Analyze the relationship between attachment insecurities (anxious, avoidant, disorganized) and relationship satisfaction and long-term stability.
- Differentiate between three evidence-based models (e.g., EFT, Gottman, and IBCT) regarding their primary mechanisms of change.
- Identify how the therapist’s own attachment history can impact their clinical presence and triggers during high-conflict couples work.
- Utilize verbal and non-verbal strategies to maintain therapeutic neutrality and prevent triangulation or perceived bias.
- Identify maladaptive relationship patterns rooted in breaches of relational ethics, such as unfairness or lack of reciprocity.
- Utilize research-backed skills for apology and forgiveness to address breaches of trust (e.g., infidelity).
Outline
The Anatomy of Relational Conflict
- Common presenting concerns
- Surface concerns vs. deeper emotional needs
- How digital life and “technoference” impact intimacy
- Factors that predict therapeutic success vs. escalation
Models of Change in Couples Therapy:
Using Tools from EFT, Gottman Method and IBCT
- EFT, Gottman Method, and IBCT in accessible terms
- Mechanisms of change: emotional vs. behavioral pathways
- Model fit based on couple presentation and therapist style
- Evidence-based practice in insurance-driven systems
- Research, risks and limitations
Attachment Insecurity as a Survival Strategy
- Adult attachment patterns (anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
- Insecure attachment as adaptive and protective
- How attachment wounds show up as conflict, rupture, and withdrawal
From Internal Experience to Relational Cycles
- Create a safe space for sharing emotions, desires, and fears
- Access primary emotion beneath reactivity
- Map out the maladaptive pattern happening during conflict
- Implement new ways of communicating to disrupt the pattern
The “Ghost” in the Room: Holding a Systemic Lens in Individual Work
- Explore how the couple system shows up in individual therapy
- Maintain a relational lens when only one partner is present
- The ethics of secrets and divided loyalties
- Form systemic hypotheses without a joint context
Relational Ethics: Fairness, Power, and, Invisible Labor
- Patterns rooted in perceived unfairness
- How resentment develops from imbalanced labor and roles
- The impact of gender socialization and mental load
- Interventions that support accountability and repair
Rebuilding after Betrayal
- Atonement (accountability), attunement (connection), attachment (rebuilding intimacy)
- Differentiate forgiveness from trust-building
- Research-informed apology and repair skills
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Psychologists
- Case Managers
- Addiction Counselors
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
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