Addressing Sexual Issues in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) Couples Therapy (4 CE Hours)

Course Description:

This workshop will examine how to work with sexual challenges in longterm committed relationship within the framework of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Therapists cannot assume that helping a couple create a more secure bond will automatically lead to a better sexual relationship. Sexual issues often remain unresolved unless they are directly addressed, and many couple therapists lack specialized skills and intervention in this context.

Therapists must be able to move between the relational and sexual systems to help partners be aware of how they can negatively impact each other, which then creates emotional and sexual distance.

This clinically focused workshop will provide a brief overview of the EFT model, examine where sex and EFT Couples Tx intersect, how to work with sexual and relational negative cycles in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of EFT, and will illustrate how to integrate behavioral sex therapy interventions with EFT.

The workshop will include didactic learning, clear video case examples of couples to demonstrate how to integrate EFT with sex therapy interventions, and Q&A.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn the underpinning essential principles of EFT and how it applies to sex therapy.
• Participants will be able to identify negative cycle around sexual issues in Stage 1 and deepening emotions in Stage 2 of EFT
• Participants will be able to learn strategies of integrating sex therapy interventions into EFT for couples.
• Participants will learn how to effectively utilize the EFT model to generate greater sexual fulfillment in longterm committed relationships.

Activity Schedule: 

15 minutes: Introduction and overview of what will be covered in workshop
1 hour and 15 minutes: Overview of EFT model with video case example highlighting significance of attachment challenges that impact sexual connection
30 minutes: Tracking sexual cycles in Stage 1 of EFT with video case example
10 min: Break
20 min: Eroticism and EFT
30 min: Tracking sexual cycles in Stage 2 of EFT with video case example
1 hour: Integrating sex therapy interventions with EFT video case example

Speaker Bio:

Michael Moran, LCSW, CST-S is the Founder and Director of The Center for Relational Fulfillment in New York, NY where he specializes at the intersection of relational and sexual challenges.  He is a Certified EFT Couples Therapist & Supervisor and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor.  Additionally, he has taught graduate courses in Marriage and Family therapy as well as LGBTQ+ clinical practice at Rutgers University, was on the Core Faculty in the Sex Therapy division at The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy (ICP), and has been featured on Esther Perel’s “Sessions” platform on the integration of EFT and sex therapy. Mike presents nationally and internationally training therapists to effectively address sexual issues in EFT couple therapy. He is currently a PhD candidate in Clinical Sexology at Modern Sex Therapy Institutes. His website is www.fulfilledcouples.com.