Introduction
Date Course Created: September 2025
This training will explore 2 types of couples: high conflict and emotionally avoidant. These couples have unique struggles in communication, trust, motivation, and emotional intimacy. These couples can be challenging for couples’ counselors. This workshop will provide participants with several theoretical frameworks to understand how to assist these couples in having more productive conflicts, develop and/or rebuild trust with one another, create deeper levels of emotional intimacy and closeness, and understand specific types of family of origin issues that often create these types of couple-pairs.
Clinicians will leave better equipped with a deeper understanding of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and its application to distressed couple dynamics, with a focus on both high-conflict and emotionally avoidant presentations. Participants will learn to identify and transform negative interaction cycles, work effectively with primary and secondary emotions, and foster secure attachment. The course also integrates complementary approaches – including Gottman Method, DBT, and insight-oriented therapies – to enhance emotional regulation, communication, and relational safety. Special attention will be given to trauma-informed strategies that promote vulnerability, healing, and meaningful reconnection.
Counselors will gain specific strategies to assist their counseling work with these couples. Counselors will also learn how to accurately assess and treat these couples in counseling, as well as learning how to help couples who appear stuck in their problematic patterns to stay motivated and work towards healing.
This is a 2.5-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform.
Agenda
00:00 – 00:34 → Introduction, Understanding High Conflict Couples, Collaborative Approaches, Reframing Conflict
00:34 – 01:03 → Influences on Couples’ Conflicts, Creating Safe Spaces for Exploration, Exploring Attachment Injuries
01:03 – 01:35 → Characteristics of Emotionally Avoidant Couples, Recognizing Emotional Disconnect, Attachment Theory
01:35 – 02:01 → Deescalating Negative Cycles, Integration of EFT, Commonalities Across Therapeutic Approaches
02:01 – 02:31 → Interview with Dr. Laura Bokar, Ethical Considerations in Couples Therapy, Addressing Abuse
Objectives
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
After completing this training, participants will be able to describe the core principles of emotional focused therapy (EFT) and their application to couple dynamics.- After completing this training, participants will be able to differentiate between high-conflict and emotionally avoidant couple presentations.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to demonstrate skills for mapping and disrupting negative interaction cycles.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to integrate complementary therapeutic approaches to support emotional safety and connection.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to apply trauma-informed interventions to support vulnerability and reconnection.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this course includes licensed psychologists, social workers, counselors, MFT’s, and other licensed clinical mental health professionals.
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Instructor(s): JKatherine Helm, PhD
Material Author(s): Katherine Helm, PhD
For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.
Course Materials & Delivery Method:
- Course Materials – The course is composed of a recorded presentation and written materials (e.g. a slide deck and/or other worksheets, manuals, or handouts as provided by the instructor). The slide deck and any additional worksheets or handouts (as provided by the instructor) are made available inside the Lesson module after a course is purchased.
- Delivery Method – This course is a recorded asynchronous, self-paced webinar training, and there is no access time limit or due date to complete it once enrolled. The enrolled learner will stream the recorded presentation and view the materials from their internet connected device via an industry-standard online learning platform.
CE Approvals:
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 23, 2025 – July 23, 2028. Social workers completing this course receive 2.5 clinical continuing education credits.
Other Helpful Information:
Refund & Cancellation Policy – You may review this policy at any time by clicking here.- Accessibility Accommodations – If you require a reasonable accommodation for any reason, please email your request to cc@onlinececredits.com.
- Course Completion Requirements – 1.) View the entire Lesson module (accessible from the main course page), to include the embedded and/or linked presentation video(s), slide deck, additional materials, and/or links to any shared video clip(s) that may have been edited from the presentation video(s) to comply with copyright laws. 2.) Click into the Quiz module accessible from either the main course page or the Lesson page and complete the Quiz with an 80% or better pass rate. 3.) Complete the Course Evaluation – you’ll be sent to the Evaluation automatically once you successfully pass the Quiz.
- Posttest Requirements – You must answer 80% or more of the Quiz questions correctly to pass. If you fail to pass the first time, you may attempt the quiz again until you are able to pass with a score of 80% or better. Quizzes are graded instantly and automatically by the learning management system once your attempt is submitted.
- Certificate of Completion – Certificates of Completion are automatically generated – downloadable from your Dashboard and emailed to you – once you view the Lesson Materials and complete the Quiz and the Course Evaluation.
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