Addressing Sexual Issues in EFT Couples Therapy Presenter: Michael Moran, LCSW, CST

Description:   Many couples presenting for couples therapy complain of sexual issues such as discrepancies in desire, lack of attraction or sexual incompatibility, arousal or orgasm problems, challenges in the bedroom after having children, and infidelity. As such, there is an increasing call for an integrated approach to couple and sex therapy.  From the perspective of Emotionally Focused Therapy, such complaints are often, but not always, part of an underlying lack of security and bond in the relationship caused by the negative cycle between partners.  At times, as the partners de-escalate and become more secure, sexual issues remain unresolved.  Yet, many couple therapists lack knowledge and skill in the area of sex assessment and intervention.  In this workshop you will learn how to begin integrating sex therapy theory and interventions within EFT for couples. 

Objectives:

• Participants will be able to demonstrate techniques of sexual assessment in EFT treatment.
• Participants will be able to discuss negative cycle interactions regarding sexual issues in EFT treatment.
• Participants will be able to explain strategies of integrating sex therapy into EFT for couples.
• Participants will learn how to explain how to effectively create more emotionally secure bonding in couples specifically relating to greater sexual fulfillment.

Bio:  Michael Moran, LCSW, CST is the Founder and Director of The Center for Relational Fulfillment in New York, NY where he specializes in relational and sexual issues.  He is a Certified EFT Therapist and Supervisor, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Inner Bonding Facilitator.  Mike is on the Board of Directors for NYCEFT (New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy) where he co-chairs the Education Dept.  Mike is also an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University where he teaches Marriage & Family Therapy and travels around the country training mental health therapists how to effectively address sexual issues in couples therapy.  4a)

Course Bibliography:

Birnbaum, G. E., & Gillath, O. (2006). Measuring subgoals of the sexual behavioral system: What is sex good for? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23, 675-701.

Birnbaum, G. E., Reis, H. T., Mikulincer, M., Gillath, O., & Orpaz, A. (2006). When sex is more than just sex: Attachment orientations, sexual experience, and relationship quality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 929-943.

Cooper, S. E. (2012). Some like it not. Issues In Psychoanalytic Psychology, 34(1), 31-40.

Grayer, J. (2016): Emotionally focused therapy for couples: a safe haven from which to explore sex during and after cancer.  Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 31(4), 488-492.  DOI: 10.1080/14681994.2015.1126668

Johnson, S. M. & Zuccarini, D. (2010). “Integrating sex and attachment in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 36, 431-445.

Johnson, S. M. & Zuccarini, D. (2011). EFT for sexual issues: An integrated model of couple and sex therapy. In J. Furrow, S. Johnson & B. Bradley (Eds.), The emotionally focused casebook: New directions in treating couples, pp. 219-246. New York, NY: Routledge.

Iasenza, S.  (2010). What is Queer About Sex?: Expanding Sexual Frames in Theory and Practice Family Process, 49:291–308.

McCarthy, B., & Wald, L. M. (2015). Strategies and techniques to directly address sexual desire problems. Journal Of Family Psychotherapy, 26(4), 286-298.

Weiner, L. & Avery-Clark, A. (2014) Sensate Focus: clarifying the Masters and Johnson’s model, Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 29:3, 307-319.