COURSE DESCRIPTION

Couples join together expecting their relationship to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, relationships can suffer when couples don’t successfully manage the trials and tribulations of life. The inevitable issues of communication, sex, finances, infidelity, personal values, workload, children,
ex-partners, parents, the aging process and illness can all lead to the demise of a relationship. This intermediate course will reveal effective treatment methods therapists can utilize to help couples navigate a variety of difficult topics couples face today.

TESTIMONIALS

Here are some comments taken from recent course evaluations about Dr. Abrams and her course.

TOPICS

• The Couple of 2006: Differences and Sameness
• The Little Blue Pill: ED Drugs & Sexual Relations
• In-laws, Out-laws and Children
• Mindful Messages: Communication in Turbulent Times
• The Impact of the Therapist
• Special Issues: Diversity, Addictions, Affairs and Illness
• Conflict Resolution Methods

GOALS

At the conclusion of this program you should be better able to:

• Assess the uniqueness of a couple’s needs.
• Empower the couple by enhancing communication skills.
• Understand the complexities of erectile dysfunction drugs.
• Create strategies to ameliorate complex issues.
• Develop a plan for conflict resolution.

SPEAKER PROFILE

Lois M. Abrams, Ph.D. is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#MFT 3451) in private practice since 1970. She specializes in couple’s therapy and has written three books on the subject of interpersonal relationships. She taught at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology for over 20 years, and at CSULB’s Graduate School of Educational Psychology for four years. She served as President of the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and currently serves as Treasurer on the board of AAMFT’s California Division. In collaboration with Dr. Tom Penderghast of Pepperdine University’s School of Business, she developed a system for couple’s therapy applying Game Theory. Dr. Abrams has conducted workshops nationally and internationally with Dr. Carl Rogers, and has been featured on national television as a couple’s therapist with Dr. John Gottman. She has lectured and conducted workshops throughout the United States, as well as Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Russia.