New Jersey Couples Therapy Training Program
Course Offerings

NJCTTP classes are offered in the Stadler Zenner Academic Building, Rice Lounge, Fairleigh Dickinson University. NJCTTP is approved to offer CEU's for coursework and seminars. Students will typically take two 90 minute classes per week for two fifteen-week semesters per year. These will be given "back-to-back" so all coursework occurs on one day. Classses will be held during the day and evening, students can choose which is best according to their schedule. The exact day during the week will be determined according to student needs. 

Courses

• 110   Major Models of Couples Therapy
  This course will outline the foundations of clinical theory as it relates to couples therapy. Psychodynamic viewpoints will be integrated with other schools of thought such as systems approaches. Contemporary models, such as Imago and Emotionally Focused Therapy, will also be covered


• 111   Elements of Clinical Technique
  Students will begin to look at strategies to build an alliance with a couple. Developing an understanding of couple assessment and how to weave this into clinical technique will be covered. Students will also begin to explore countertransference and use of self as an important dynamic in clinical work with couples.


• 210   Advanced Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Love and Couples Therapy
  This course will address the role of projective identification and primitive defenses to a couples level of functioning. Students will also deepen their study of attachment perspectives to couple functioning. In addition, the dynamics of love will also be explored from the perspective of resistances to both receiving and expressing love.


• 211   Advanced Clinical Technique: Use of Self and Managing Enactments
  This course will build on the first clinical technique course and examine the middle phases of couples therapy. Students will explore ways to manage the couple’s capacity to contain difficult affects and develop a holding environment to encourage safety. Utilizing countertransferential material will also be investigated.


• 310   Sexuality and Intimacy
  Students will explore the relationship between sexual and emotional intimacy. Sustaining passion in long term relationships will be a major focus of the course. The course will also look at erotic imagination, including sado-masochistic dynamics. The course will also develop skills at sexual history taking and dealing with sexual dysfunctions.


• 311   Deepening Clinical Skills in Couples Therapy
  Students further develop skills in the major models of couples therapy including object relations approaches, attachment theory, Imago Relationship Therapy, Gottman, and Tatkin’s neuro-biological attachment approach.


• 410   Advanced Topics in Couples Therapy
  This course will cover a number of challenges to couples therapy. Topics such as affairs, sexual addiction, divorce, life-stages, cultural influences, and incorporating individual therapy will be addressed.


• 411   Clinical Case Seminar: Model Integration and Core Elements of Effective Couples Therapy
  Students will be focused on one case during this seminar and weekly presentations will form the basis of the course. Theoretical flexibility will be encouraged as a way to develop clinical competence. It will prepare students for a final case presentation to complete their training in couples therapy.

Couples Program Spring 2012 Course Offerings

Major Models of Couples Therapy (110)
Mondays, 9:30am-11:00am
Robert Raymond, PhD
2 West Northfield Rd. Suite 305, Livingston

Elements of Clinical Technique (111)
Mondays, 11:30am-1:00pm
Susan D’Aloia, LCSW and Gail Kleinman, LCSW
2 West Northfield Rd. Suite 305, Livingston

Sexuality and Intimacy (310)
Fridays, 12:00noon-1:15pm
Daniel Goldberg, PhD
Rutgers GSAPP

Deepening Clinical Skills in Couples Therapy (311)
Fridays, 10:30am-11:45am
Nancy Hicks, PsyD
Rutgers GSAPP

Supervision

Students will be expected to complete 40 hours of individual supervision during the two years of the program. They can schedule this in any frequency they would like. They can utilize one or more supervisors. They will be encouraged to explore their own relationship issues/styles as a component of the supervision since this can be an important source of countertransference when working with a couple. Supervision will occur in supervisors' offices.