Calendar of Events

Friday February 15
Love Cycles, Fear Cycles: The Essence of Couples Therapy

Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, East Georgia Chapter
9 am - 4 pm, 6 CEs
$90, only $75 for GAMFT members
First Baptist Church, Augusta, Georgia
Contact: Karen Shaw Burch, 706-210-4843, kshwburch@aol.com

Many people come to therapy troubled about their relationships. They’re usually stuck in some negative
cycle that they can’t get out of, no matter how hard they try. This workshop presents an extremely user-friendly model for understanding these cycles and clarifying what needs to change. Individual and couples therapists find this model easy to use, even during a fast-moving session. Every relationship has a Fear Cycle where each person threatens the other – again and again. In this workshop, we'll show you how to help clients change their fear cycle into a Love Cycle.

Two of the common factors of all successful couples therapy are (a) thinking systemically, and (b) interrupting negative cycles. The purpose of this workshop is to teach therapists a model for doing these two tasks. Participants will learn how to diagram the Fear Cycle and Love Cycle in any client's relationship. This diagram helps therapists and clients understand what has been going wrong, and what needs to change. Every fear cycle is the worst-possible combination of the vulnerability and reactivity of each person. Therapist will learn how to add client's childhood influences to this diagram, and also client's dreams for the future. This model can then be used to guide therapeutic interventions. Behavioral, cognitive, emotional and insight interventions are all suggested by different aspects of the diagram. Therapists will see how and when to use each. There will be two demonstrations of using this model. One will be working with an individual; the other will be working with a couple. Participants will also apply this model to their own relationship, or past relationships. By seeing how it applies to themselves, participants get to experience the power and elegance of this way of conceptualizing relationship dynamics.

Saturday April 13
Applying Acceptance in Relationships: Implementing Diversity in Daily Life

Georgia Psychological Association Annual Meeting
9:30 am - 12:30 pm, 3 CEs
Marriott Century Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Sponsor: Georgia Psychological Association
GPA members contact: Staci Bratcher, 404-634-6272 x.208, stacibratcher@gapsychology.org

This advanced workshop presents a model for facilitating acceptance and change in clients’ everyday relationships. These principles apply to primary relationships as well as family relationships, professional relationships, and friendships. The model is based on theories from Imago Relationship Theory, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Scientifically-Based Relationship Therapy, Relational Life Therapy. By understanding the diversity issues in each person’s vulnerabilities and defenses, clinicians can clarify for them what needs to be accepted and what needs to change. These insights can help clients move out of fear cycles of control, dominance, and reactivity and into love cycles of cooperation, respect, and acceptance.

Thursday May 2
Love Cycles, Fear Cycles: The Essence of Couples Therapy

Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Annual Meeting
3 - 5 pm, 2 CEs
Jekyll Island Convention Center
Jekyll Island, Georgia
GAMFT members contact:

Thursday May 9
Love Cycles, Fear Cycles: The Key to Successful Couples Therapy

Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia Annual Meeting
1:45 - 5 pm, 3 CEs
Savannah Riverfront Marriott
Savannah, Georgia
LPCAGA members contact:

Friday May 31
Love Cycles, Fear Cycles: The Key to Successful Couples Therapy

The Anxiety and Stress Management Institute
9 am - 4 pm, 6 CEs
Atlanta, Georgia
contact: Jordan Barbeau, 770-953-0080 x.333, workshops@stressmgt.net

Friday June 14
Love Cycles, Fear Cycles: The Key to Successful Couples Therapy

Ridgeview Institute
9:30 am - 12:45 pm, 3 CEs
Smyrna, Georgia
contact: LaTosha Lawler, 770-434-4568 x.3001, llawler@ridgeviewinstitute.com