Mastering Enactments in Couple and Family Therapy

Every couple and family has a pattern that keeps them stuck. In session it often plays out right in front of the therapist, while the conversation stays focused on the problem. Enactments let clinicians work with that pattern directly and move away from content and program focused discussions. The therapist invites clients to interact with each other in the room, then coaches them toward a healthier way of connecting. Research identifies enactments as a change process shared across many relational therapies, yet new and experienced clinicians alike often find them hard to set up and hold.

This hands-on training puts practice ahead of lecture. Participants will learn to spot the recurring cycles that maintain a couple’s or family’s distress and to recognize when to step into an enactment as it unfolds. They will also learn how to set up a structured enactment safely, from preparing clients through making meaning afterward. Through video demonstrations, case discussion and small-group role-play, clinicians will leave with skills they can use in their next session.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Define enactments and describe their purpose in couple and family therapy
2. Identify recurring interactional patterns in session
3. Recognize opportunities for spontaneous and structured enactments
4. Practice interventions that help clients shift away from unhelpful pattern

Trainer:

Emily Girogio, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor

Format:

This training is held live online and combines didactic content, video and case illustrations, as well as guided skill practice.

Audience:

This training is for interns, pre-licensed therapists, and licensed professionals. It is designed for a professional audience and includes time for networking with peers.

Continuing Education:

Council for Relationships (CFR) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Council for Relationships maintains responsibility for this program and its content. CFR’s continuing education programs may also qualify for licensure renewal credit for Pennsylvania LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs, as well as New Jersey psychologists, LPCs, and LMFTs, subject to applicable licensing requirements.Participants licensed in other states or professions should verify credit acceptance with their licensing boards.