Couples Therapy Training 2022/23
This course will be led by Christopher Williams, BACP & UKCP, an internationally renowned trainer and couple’s therapist working with both Gestalt and Systemic approaches. Jane James, a highly experienced practitioner and coach will also be teaching on some of the sessions. Bernd Leygraf, from the NAOS Institute, will be teaching a day on Sex Therapy. Sheila McCarthy-Dodd will be as an assisting tutor.
This training was originally created and designed by Judith Hemming who drew on her extensive professional experience of working with couples.
Listen to Chris as he provides an overview of the training please click here for a 20 min YouTube introduction.
Download the CSC Couples Therapy Training 2022/23 brochure here
Who is it for?
It is a course designed for a number of different groups – for therapists and counsellors who want to learn the specific skills to work with couples, for coaches to work with two people systems, and for anyone else who wants to learn more about and struggle less in relationships. It is about navigating the journey of two people, addressing natural tensions and finding ways to mature and develop the relationship over time – which is applicable not only to intimate relationships but those in our wider circle of family, friends and colleagues.
The training is highly relevant if you work as a coach or therapist or constellation facilitator. It provides the opportunity to extend your therapeutic or coaching practice to include working with couples or other two-person systems. It is assumed that you will already have basic skills in working with individuals, and therefore the course focus is on the shifts and additional skills needed to be of help when working with couples.
The teaching is intended to help therapists and coaches ‘see’ and work with systems, including the three interacting systems that are alive in the room when working with couples or two-person systems, and the wider and deeper family systems that surround the couple and often emerge and influence in hidden ways. We draw on both Gestalt theory as a basic orientation, and the systemic constellation philosophy developed by Bert Hellinger. We will also focus on presence, and an understanding of the many common contexts that bring couples into therapy or the issues that arise in two person systems in organisation.
However, participants do not need to work as a therapist or coach to make best use of it.
You do not need to complete an application form to enrol on this training, but if you have not trained with the CSC, we will arrange a telephone conversation with one of our course facilitators. The main criterion is that you must have a grounding in systemic constellations or either counselling/therapy.
During the 4 modules we will develop…
A basic framework
- The intimate relationship as a life journey, connecting two separate journeys.
- An understanding of the changing tasks of a relationship over time.
- An understanding of the cultural shifts in the institution of marriage.
- A look at what a relationship is for, and what intimacy consists of.
- Understanding of the perennial paradox between autonomy and communion
The process model of intervening
- How a couple ‘dance’ together in real time in the room. This is a hugely helpful but challenging Gestalt model, and forms the practical basis of the therapeutic work or effective coaching interventions.
- Positive framing, even-handedness, phenomenological tracking, setting up practice opportunities.
Systemic thinking and interventions
- An understanding of the motivations and action, ways of managing exchange, culture, roles and beliefs, as they develop through personal loyalties and deeper systemic entanglements and burdens.
- Moving the therapeutic focus between the present, the near past and the further past.
- A basic understanding of the ordering forces that support the flow of love and intimacy and healthy partnership working.
- Using the constellation process in the couple’s therapy room and healthy partnership working.
Course Dates 2022/23
This course includes 4 training modules which will be held online via Zoom.
The modules will run from 9.30 am-5.30pm on the following dates.
| Module 1 | 6-8 December 2022 | Tuesday – Thursday |
| Module 2 | 7-9 February 2023 | Tuesday – Thursday |
| Module 3 | 18-20 April 2023 | Tuesday – Thursday |
| Module 4 | 6-8 June 2023 | Tuesday – Thursday |
The Facilitators
Chris Williams (BACP)
Chris is a director of the Centre and a senior teaching faculty member. He has been working in the therapeutic field since 1990 and currently works as a Constellation Practitioner, Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Coach and Trainer. He is a UKCP registered gestalt psychotherapist and a senior accredited BACP counsellor, with a well-established practice in South London.
Jane James
A qualified teacher, systemic coach and supervisor. She has worked with constellations since 2002 particularly in the field of families, children and education. She also works with leaders and organisations to catalyse breakthrough and release potential. Jane joins Chris in teaching for 2 days during the training course.
Assisting Tutor
Sheila McCarthy- Dodd (MBACP)
Sheila is a director of CSC and a senior faculty member. She trained and worked extensively in Systemic and Family Constellations since 1996 and leads regular family constellation workshops in Ireland and the UK. Sheila has a well-established therapy practice in Gloucestershire for individuals, couples and supervision. She works extensively as a trainer including facilitating Relational Supervision training with Severn Talking Therapy and is teaching on CSC’s Foundation, Applied and Supervision courses.
Testimonials
The course was well planned and delivered. All of the teachers were excellent
I am now more curious as to what is happening at any time between myself and my partner, and between other close couples
The course has made me more interested in couples, in working as a triad and the future of close relationships
The content, pace and exercises were all excellent. The couples that came in provided REALLY useful experiences.
How to Apply for this Training
You do not need to complete an application form to enrol on this training, but if you have not trained with the CSC, we will arrange a telephone interview with one of our course facilitators. The main criterion is that you must have a grounding in either counselling/therapy or systemic constellations.
For further information please email Hannah Cox at [email protected], or call +44 7929 313 976.
Cost
The full course fee is £2,049. A non-refundable deposit of £400 is payable to secure your place.
Once the deposit is received, the remainder is due before the course begins. A small number of bursaries are available. Please contact us directly for more information. Discretionary payment plans are available on request.
Please note: CSC is a Not for Profit organisation and does not, therefore, charge VAT.
