Couples Therapy: It's Not What You Think
Presented by Mary Kay Cochero, LMFT
Friday, May 6 2022, NOON PST
OVERVIEW:Many Psychotherapists either fear or loathe doing Couples Therapy. Couples often present with challenging struggles, anger, dysfunctional patterns and volatility. Typically, they arrive in our offices ready to dump it all in our laps and wait for us to magically fix their partners! The work can be exhausting, thankless and hopeless without a structured relational paradigm from which to work. We will talk about how one such paradigm, Encounter-centered Couples Transformation Therapy, moves Couples Therapy away from problem solving and towards the creation of safe relational space where couples reveal themselves to their full individual and collaborative potential.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this 1-hour presentation, attendees will be able to:
1) Envision how to move Couples Therapy from problem-solving to deeper healing.
2) Distinguish the difference between the Essence and the Survival Suit Defenses of each partner.
3) Name the Six Metaphors of EcCT and how they help build safe connection for our clients.
4) Understand how safety leads to connection and then to passion.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this 1-hour presentation, attendees will be able to:
1) Envision how to move Couples Therapy from problem-solving to deeper healing.
2) Distinguish the difference between the Essence and the Survival Suit Defenses of each partner.
3) Name the Six Metaphors of EcCT and how they help build safe connection for our clients.
4) Understand how safety leads to connection and then to passion.

Meet Our Presenter
Mary Kay Cocharo, LMFT has been working with couples and families for over 30 years in her private practice in West Los Angeles. She is deeply passionate about helping couples improve their communication skills, deepen their connection, resolve conflict and rediscover the joy of being together. She offers weekly sessions, Private and Group Intensives and Weekend Couples Retreats. She is active in preparing engaged couples for marriage through several different formats, including The FOCCUS Premarital Inventory and Start Right, Stay Connected Workshops. Her Ebook entitled, 8 Essential Topics to Discuss Before Saying I Do, is available on her website.Mary Kay has two Advanced Certifications, in Couples Therapy: Imago Relationship Therapy and Encounter-Centered Couples Transformation Therapy. She also has training in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.
Mary Kay is happily married in an intimate relationship and is the mother of four grown children and two granddaughters. She also plays an ongoing role in being a teacher and mentor to new couples’ therapists, students and interns as they learn and practice their art of connection.
Mary Kay is an active member of the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists, Los Angeles Chapter of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, IMAGO Relationship Institute, and the Southern California Imago Therapy Association
You can learn more about Mary Kay’s work or join her email list for monthly newsletters visit the link below.
CE DETAILS
This course is intended for beginning to advanced mental health professionals.
Course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. CE completion certificates will be awarded when participants complete the course evaluation after speaker presentation.
ADA Compliance not applicable.
Please contact hello@shrinksync.com with any questions, grievances or accommodation requests.
CAMFT-approved Continuing Education Provider #129308
ShrinkSync is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs. ShrinkSync maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.