January 27; February 3; February 10; February 24, 2025
Shelley Nathans, PhD
Live Interactive Online Webinar
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Time:
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm PST
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST
Content Level: Intermediate
One-Session Program: 6 CEs
Member Fee: $240.00
Candidate/Student Fee: $150.00
Attendance is limited to 15
This videoconference is co-sponsored by The Confederation of Independent Psychoanalytic Societies (CIPS) and The Contemporary Freudian Society (CFS)
Infidelity, Triangulation, and Polyamory by Shelley Nathans, PhD
The paths leading to infidelity in a couple’s relationship are manifold and diverse; there is no singular cause, no simple, linear route. Rather, the complex set of psychological and interpersonal dynamics that influence and shape the events that lead to infidelity are unique to each relationship. The course will begin with a didactic presentation about the technique of working with infidelity in couple psychotherapy. Using a contemporary psychoanalytic model, this course will explore some important theoretical issues relevant to understanding infidelity for the couple psychotherapist. A developmental orientation will be used to delineate a range of psychological dilemmas that may contribute to infidelity, including claustrophobic anxieties, narcissistic issues, difficulties with mourning past or impending loss, Oedipal problems, and separation issues. In addition, we will begin to explore the topic of open, or polyamorous relationships, with an emphasis on the necessary technical and theoretical adaptations that may be required when working with such relationships.
Dr. Shelley Nathans is on the faculties of The Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy Group, The Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California, and The San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis. She is the director and producer of the film, Robert Wallerstein: 65 Years at the Center of Psychoanalysis. She is on the international advisory board of the journal, Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, is a founder of The Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy Group, and serves on its board of directors as Past President. Dr. Nathans has given numerous national and international presentations on couple psychotherapy theory and technique. Her publications include, Infidelity as Manic Defence (2015), published in Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, “45 Years: an essay on the film by Andrew Haigh, published in fort da (2018); “Whose Disgust is it Anyway?: Projection and Projective Identification in the Couple Relationship, in Psychoanalytic Dialogues (2016); and. “Oedipus for Everyone: Revitalizing the Model for LBGTQ Couples and Single Parent Families,” in Psychoanalytic Dialogues (2021). She is co-editor, with Milton Schaefer, of Couples on the Couch: Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy and the Tavistock Model (Routledge, 2017) and the editor of the second volume of collected papers about psychoanalytic couple psychotherapy entitled, More About Couples on the Couch: Approaching Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy from an Expanded Perspective (2022). Dr. Nathans is in private practice in both San Francisco and Oakland, California.
References
Karlbelnig, A. (2018) The Geometry of Intimacy: Love Triangles and Couples Therapy. Psychoanalytic Psychology, (35)(1):70-82.
Balfour, A. (2005) The Couple, their marriage, and Oedipus: or problems come in twos and threes, in Oedipus and the Couple, F. Grier (ed.). Karnac: London.
Nathans, S. (2021) Oedipus for Everyone: Revitalizing the Model for LGBTQ Couples and Single Parent Families. Psychoanalytic Dialogues 31:312-328.
Morgan, M. (2021) Triangular Dynamics and Triangular Space: A Response to Shelley Nathans’ “Oedipus for Everyone: Revitalizing the Model for LGBTQ Couples and Single Parent Families”, Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 31:3, 340-348, DOI: 10.1080/10481885.2021.1902741
Nathans, S. (2012) Infidelity as Manic Defence. Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, 2:165-180.
Fosse, M.J. (2021) No Size Fits All: Jealousy is a Complex Relational Experience. In The Many Faces of Polyamory: Longing and Belonging in Concurrent Relationships. M.J. Fosse (Ed.). (pp.67- 73). London and New York: Routledge.
Fosse, M.J. (2021) Clinical Considerations: Ethical Issues and Therapy Tasks. In The Many Faces of Polyamory: Longing and Belonging in Concurrent Relationships. M.J. Fosse (Ed.). (pp. 130-151). London and New York: Routledge.
McCann, D. (2022) They “Went in Two by Two”: The challenge for couple psychotherapists of working with those in open and polyamourous relationships. In Same-Sex Couples and Other Identities, D. McCann (Ed.) (pp. 135-150) London and New York: Routledge.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
- Students will be able to apply an understanding of psychological development to the problem of infidelity.
- Students will be able to name two components of containment when working with couples with infidelity.
- Students will be able to apply an understanding of Oedipal dynamics to the treatment of couples trying to resolve the crisis of an affair.
- Students will be able to describe how difficulties with mourning may negatively impact individual and couple psychological functioning.
- Students will be able to name two different types of defensive triangulations.
- Students will be able to name two important features when working with polyamourous couples.
Who Should Attend
Mental Health Professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, licensed professional counselors, e.g., LPs, LCATs, and pastoral counselors) and those with an interest in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic thinking and clinical applications.
Continuing Education Credits
- NY Social Workers: The PTI-CFS is recognized by the NYS Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0087
- NY Psychoanalysts: The PTI-CFS is recognized by the NYS Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #P-0021.
- NY Licensed Psychologists: The PTI-CFS is recognized by the NYS Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0017.
- Psychologists: The Contemporary Freudian Society is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The CFS maintains responsibility for this program and its content. (DC, MD and VA Psychologist licensing boards accept CE credits provided by an APA approved Sponsor. All other psychologists should check with their licensing boards.)
- DC, MD and VA Social Workers: The Social Work Boards of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia will grant continuing education credits to social workers attending a program offered by an APA authorized sponsor.
CE credits will only be granted to participants with documented attendance of the entire program. No partial credit will be offered. It is the responsibility of the participants seeking CE credits to comply with these requirements. Upon completion of this program and online evaluation form, participants will be granted CE credits.
Important Disclosure Information: There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
Cancellation Policy:
Full refunds will be issued if notification of cancellation is received 72 hours prior to the start of the course.