Gottman Clinical Training Level 3

There is no better way to learn how to apply Gottman Method Couples Therapy than the Level 3 Training. Through videotaped cases of real couples, demonstrations of assessments and interventions, and nuanced discussion of technique, the Level 3 Training significantly expands your understanding of when and how to use Gottman Method strategies.

In this five-day workshop, clinicians will learn to:

• Build on the knowledge obtained from Level 1 and Level 2 Training to master how to effectively use the Oral History Interview during a couple’s assessment and understand its implications.
• Clearly explain to a couple their strengths and challenges in terms of the Sound Relationship House, and how to help partners identify their own “Four Horsemen” and understand the antidotes.
• Select and utilize appropriate tools to help a couple deepen their Friendship System.
• Clarify a couple’s conflicts in terms of solvable, perpetual, and grid-locked problems, and use the “Dreams Within Conflict” technique to help a couple feel hopeful and to achieve break-through with their perpetual conflict.
• Successfully intervene when one or both partners are flooding, help a couple reach solutions using the Compromise Ovals intervention, and sensitively intervene when co-morbidities are present.

Special Features

This training is held over Zoom with a Certified Gottman Trainer conducting the course in real time.

• Access a 200+ page digital Level 3 Clinical Training Manual which contains the core assessments and interventions.
• Receive a Level 3 certificate of completion from The Gottman Institute once you complete the required assessment of knowledge at the end of the level.
• Meet, learn, and share experiences with other like-minded professionals.
• Eligibility to continue to the Certification Track.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of this training, you will be able to:

1. Choose an intervention that is appropriate for the clients at the moment.
2. Recognise the Four Horsemen when one member of a couple exhibits that behaviour.
3. Describe the Four Horsemen to the couple.
4. Explain the antidote to the relevant Horseman clearly and accurately.
5. Coach the person to express him- or herself in an alternative way using an appropriate antidote.
6. Identify when one or both partners are physiologically flooded (and not just upset) and stop the interaction between the couple.
7. Provide a brief explanation of flooding in clear, sensitive language.
8. Intervene by guiding one or both partners through a relaxation technique before continuing.
9. Explain the Dreams Within Conflict process and goals clearly.
10. Help the couple hold to the questions to go deeper vs. getting into their own point of view.
11. Introduce the concept of softened start-ups and explain why it helps.
12. Explain predictions based on research of the first three minutes of a discussion.
13. Instruct the couple to restate their point in positive terms, without criticism and direct them to resume dyadic interaction.
14. Stop couple’s interaction when one or both partners are not accepting influence.
15. Explain the need for accepting influence (which may include reference to research).
16. Instruct couple in the concept of offering and accepting repairs and explain its use.
17. Conduct Oral History interview with appropriate timing, ask appropriate questions with sensitivity to issues of co-morbidity.

Who Should Attend

• This training is for psychologists, social workers, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), professional counsellors, addiction counsellors, and other mental health professionals.

Pre-requisites

• Completion of Level 1 Training and Level 2 Training is required. Please send us a copy of your certificates for verification purposes.
• Participants must have practised the Gottman Method in their couples’ work for at least 9 months
• A short (approx. 10 minutes) video sharing is required for learning purposes to demonstrate how you applied one of the Gottman Interventions.
• Please uphold confidentiality for all cases shared during the workshop.

About EMCC

EMCC has been a training partner of The Gottman Institute since 2014.