Subject: Special Conference Workshops on Relationship Enhancement and Filial Methods
Special Workshops on
Relationship Enhancement®
and Filial
Methods
The 2017
Relationship Enhancement®
and Filial
Therapy Conference
March 31 -
April 1, 2017 in Bethesda,
MD
Sponsored
by
National
Institute of Relationship Enhancement® (NIRE)
CE
Workshops
For the 2017 Relationship
Enhancement® and Filial Therapy Conference, NIRE and
AFREM are co-sponsoring two workshops on Friday March 31 and
two workshops on Saturday April 1.
Friday will include two RE Therapy related workshops:
"Using the Relationship Enhancement model to mediate
conflicts between traditional gender roles and contemporary
societal values of equality in heterosexual, same-sex,
immigrant, and intercultural relationships" and "A
Salad of Integrity: Resolving Ethical Questions When Working
from an Educational Model in a Medical Model
Profession."
Saturday will include two play related workshops:
"Filial Therapy in Non-group Settings: Navigating the
Unique Challenges" and "When Change is Slow:
Addressing Parent Concerns
During the Child-Centered Play/Filial Therapy
Process."
Each workshop qualifies for 3 CE credits.
Organized
Friday Night Dutch Treat
Dinner
This year’s traditional “Dutch
Treat” dinner will be held on Friday night March 31.
This well attended event always proves to be a fun time to
connect and relax with friends and colleagues around the
dinner table. Please join us if you can! Details
below. And please RSVP so we can properly plan with the
restaurant.
Registration
Registration information may be found
below.
AFREM Special
Workshops Registration Form
Friday
Workshops
Using the Relationship Enhancement model to mediate
conflicts between traditional gender roles and contemporary
societal values of equality in heterosexual, same-sex,
immigrant, and intercultural
relationships
Presenter: Goli
Bellinger, M.S.W., LICSW, LCSW-C
Friday, March 31, 9:00
a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 3 CE credits
We value equality in
this nation, and for our world. This value underpins the
Relationship Enhancement (RE) model which includes mutual
understanding and respect. Yet when couples share a
household, the contemporary emphasis on the value of
equality may lead to conflicts in the relationship, whether
conscious or subconscious. This workshop will focus on
complex ways the concepts of traditional gender roles and
modern gender values lead to discourse in couples. Ideas of
gender equality will be explored and contrasted with
traditional values of the equitable division of labor. Case
studies will illustrate various ways conflicts arise across
diverse populations and sexual identity, as uncovered by
deepening dialogue and empathy through the structured RE
dialogue process. Finally, this session will present how to
guide conflict management and problem solving by combining
the values of equality and equity to help couples balance
household and family responsibilities.
Learning Objectives:
Participants completing this workshop will be able
to:
1.
Identify cultural theories of the values of equality and
equity.
2.
Differentiate individual needs from cultural expectations
and perceptions within various couple populations,
including immigrant, intercultural, and same-sex
couples.
3.
Utilize deepening dialogues to reach the core concerns and
unique needs of each individual, regardless of expectations
driven by gender roles or societal values.
4.
Guide and help couples discover and identify what works best
for their life and goals.
Goli Amin Bellinger,
M.S.W., is a couples therapist in Washington DC. Together
with Mary Ortwein, she created the program Relationship
Enhancement® for Refugees and Immigrants at the U.S.
Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. She also consults on
mental health and family trauma with immigrant and
asylum-seeking populations, including as adjunct faculty at
University of Maryland School of School Work.
A Salad of Integrity: Resolving
Ethical Questions When Working from an Educational Model in
a Medical Model Profession
Presenter: Mary
Ortwein, M.S., LMFT
Friday, March 31, 2:00
– 5:15 p.m. 3 CE Credits
When Bernard Guerney
wrote Psychotherapeutic Agents: New Roles for
Nonprofessionals, Teachers, and Parents in 1969, he became a
leader that moved psychology away from the Medical Model of
Sigmund Freud toward the Educational Model anticipated by
the work of Carl Rogers and the behaviorists. While elements
of the Educational Model have remained strong in mental
health, the acceptance of medical insurance billing by
clinicians, beginning in the 1980s, now makes the assignment
of a Medical Model DSM diagnosis the initial standard
operating procedure for mental health treatment.
What issues does this
raise for those who work from an Educational Model—or
who integrate elements of the Educational Model with
elements of the Medical Model, or even a Spiritual Model?
How can these issues be resolved in ways that preserve both
ethical and theoretical integrity? This workshop will
explore these questions.
After an initial
review of Bernard Guerney’s Educational Model, the
model will be examined in light of contemporary clinical
practice. Four potential slippery slopes for ethical or
theoretical compromise will be examined: the presence of
severe mental health symptoms when using the RE model with
couples; medical insurance billing; best practices which
include doing Educational Model interventions from a Medical
Model theory; and working as part of collaborative medical
model treatment teams. Criteria for maintaining ethical
practice and theoretical integrity will be proposed,
discussed, and applied for each of these situations as part
of the workshop. The workshop will include both lecture and
participant discussion.
Learning Objectives:
Participants completing this workshop will be able
to:
1.
Identify client situations where ethical guidelines or the
Educational Model may be compromised in contemporary mental
health practice
2.
Identify criteria for evaluating situations that might lead
to ethical or theoretical compromises
3.
Apply the criteria to specific scenarios to preserve both
ethical and theoretical integrity
Mary Ortwein, M.S.,
LMFT, has provided Educational Model therapy and supervision
for more than 25 years in a variety of settings, including
training and supervision of more than 60 beginning
therapists. Mary currently is director of IDEALS for
Families and Communities in Frankfort, Kentucky. Co-author
with Bernard Guerney of numerous Relationship
Enhancement® materials, she is also author of Mastering
the Magic of Play: A Handbook for Parents, which was first
developed from her work teaching Filial Therapy to parents
who often had multiple mental health diagnoses.
Dinner, Friday Night,
March 31
, 6:30 p.m. Dutch Treat.
Following the Friday afternoon workshop,
those who are interested will go out together as a group for
dinner for fun, relaxation and an opportunity to connect
with friends and colleagues. If you are interested in
joining the group for dinner: Please be certain to sign up
on the Registration Form. Advance payment is not necessary,
but we do need to be able to give an accurate count to the
restaurant.
Filial Play Therapy in Non-group
Settings: Navigating the Unique
Challenges
Presenter: Sharon
Bryant, LMFT, RPT
Discussants: Louise
Guerney, Ph.D., Julie Dodson, M.A., Nicole Bryan,
M.S.
Saturday, April 1,
9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 3 CE credits
Filial Play Therapy is
a tried and true model for creating systematic change for
the entire family. Research has shown that Filial Therapy
not only provides children with a variety of therapeutic
benefits, but it also strengthens the parent-child bond and
attachment. Traditionally, Filial Therapy has been promoted
for group settings, but it can also be effective on an
individual basis. However, the use of Filial Therapy with
individual clients can pose unique challenges. Clinicians
are often faced with many methodological decisions: Do I
start this family with Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) or
with Filial Therapy. How will I know when to transition from
CCPT to Filial Therapy? Do I involve the whole family or
just one parent and child dyad? Do I have them start
sessions in the office or begin with videotaped sessions at
home? Although there are no black and white answers to these
questions, we will talk about some factors that can help one
make these decisions. Once clinicians determine the best
methodology, another unique challenge arises: the need to
compensate for the lack of group support. We’ll talk
about various, creative techniques that can help clinicians
navigate this challenge and foster a learning process. With
the use of real cases, participants will have the
opportunity to practice making decisions and providing
encouragement to parents learning Filial
Therapy.
Participants
completing this workshop will be able to:
1. Address the unique
challenges involved when using Filial Play Therapy with
individuals
2. Identify factors
pertinent to methodological decisions regarding use of
Filial Play Therapy with individual families
3. Gain fresh ideas
for how to compensate for lack of group support
Sharon Bryant, LMFT,
RPT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and
received her masters in Marriage and Family Counseling from
Asbury Theological Seminary. She is certified in
Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy and also is a
Registered Play Therapist. She enjoys providing
services to children, adolescents, families, individuals,
and couples and currently works in a group private practice
called Spring Tree Counseling in the Chicago area.
Louise Guerney, Ph.D.,
is co-creator with Bernard Guerney, Ph.D. of Filial Family
Therapy. She also is author of Parenting: A Skills Training
Manual (published by IDEALS/NIRE), a nationally recognized
and widely used parenting program and, together with
Virginia Ryan, of Group Filial Therapy (Jessica Kingsley,
2013).
Julie Dodson, M.A.,
LMFT, is a counselor at Avenues for Women, where she serves
women and couples, providing counseling for pregnancy
options, relationships, resiliency, and trauma resolution.
Julie is certified in both Child-Centered Play Therapy and
Filial Therapy. She earned a Masters in Mental Health
Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary in
2012.
Nicole Bryan, M.S., is
a licensed clinical professional counselor. She is in
private practice in Chevy Chase, MD and a part of Weaver and
Associates in McLean, VA. She specializes in treating
children, adolescents and families, and has been trained in
CCPT and Filial Therapy.
When Change is Slow: Addressing Parent
Concerns During the Child-Centered Play/Filial Therapy
Process
Presenter: Ian
Masson, M.S.
Saturday, April 1,
2:00 – 5:15 p.m. 3 CE Credits
The process of therapy
can be complex, involved, and sometimes longer than
anticipated. When this occurs during play or filial
therapies it can lead to frustration or anxiety on the part
of the parent. The ability of the counselor to maintain the
therapeutic relationship with the parent(s) and address
their concerns becomes critical during these times.
Therapists must be able to respond in a non-defensive
manner with empathy and at the same time clearly explain the
play therapy process. Furthermore, the ability of the
therapist to identify needs of the family or parent(s) and
make appropriate recommendations becomes critical in order
to address the parents’ concern regarding perceived
“lack of progress” with the process. A therapist
can further continued progress by making additional
recommendations such as parenting skills training or
transitioning from Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) to
Filial Therapy. The ability to respond empathically while
also providing a sense of hope for the future based on
relevant explanations and/or recommendations becomes
essential.
Participants
completing this workshop will be able
to:
1. Identify common
concerns of parents at various phases during the CCPT or
Filial play process
2. Apply the skill of
empathic responding to ensure continued development of the
therapeutic alliance
3. Provide
explanations of the rationale and procedures of CCPT or
Filial Therapy in response to parent concerns
4. Make appropriate
recommendations based on concerns parents share during the
process
Ian Masson, M.S., is a
resident in counseling at Chrysalis Counseling Centers in
Culpeper, VA. Ian received his certification in
Child-Centered Play Therapy through NIRE and primarily works
with children. Ian also oversees the Intensive Therapeutic
Parenting Program at Chrysalis, a service that seeks to
develop child-centered parenting skills through use of Dr.
Louise Guerney's Parenting: A Skills Training
Manual.
Registration
Information
Location:
The RE and Filial Therapy Conference annual meeting
and workshops will be held at the National Institute of
Relationship Enhancement® (NIRE) conference suite on the
Roof level of the Topaz House at 4400 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, MD. The Topaz House is located six miles from the
White House and Georgetown. NIRE is less than three blocks
from the Bethesda metro stop.
Parking:
Parking on Friday may be available
at the Topaz House’s underground garage on a first
come first served basis. There is a public parking lot at
East-West Highway and Waverly Street, a block and a half
from the Topaz House. Be
certain to bring plenty of quarters for the public parking
lot. The cost is $.75 per hour in long term parking; plan on
9 hours, i.e., $6.75. [To be safe, bring a roll of quarters, as
parking rates may have gone
up.] Parking is free on Saturday. On
Saturday parking should be easier at Topaz House, and is
free at the public parking lot.
Schedule:
Each workshop will be 3 hours long. There will be one 15
minute break during each
workshop.
Refreshments: Starting at 8:40 a.m., and available all day, each
day, there will be a sidebar with fruit, coffee and tea,
soda, and snacks.
CE Credits: IDEALS/NIRE is approved by
the American Psychological Association to
sponsor continuing education for psychologists. IDEALS/NIRE
maintains responsibility for each program and its content.
NIRE has been approved
by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education
Provider, ACEP No. 5560. Programs that do not qualify for
NBCC credit are clearly identified. NIRE is solely
responsible for all aspects of the programs. IDEALS/NIRE is approved by
the Maryland State Board of Social
Workers to offer Category 1 continuing education
programs for social workers. NIRE also is approved by
the Association for Play Therapy to offer
continuing education specific to play therapy. APT Approved
Provider 95-009. IDEALS/NIRE maintains responsibility for
the program.
Each workshop will earn attendees 3 CE
credits.
A Certificate will be issued to you attesting to your
completion of each workshop attended and documenting the CE
credits you have earned.
Cost: The
fee for each 3-hour workshop is $60. The fee for currently
enrolled, full-time graduate students is $10.00 for each
workshop, or $30 for all four workshops.
Lunch:
Lunch each day is the responsibility of each
participant, though arrangements will be made to
provide lunch on Saturday for those who wish. The cost will
be $10.00 per person. Please see the registration
form below for details.
Optional Friday Night Dinner (Dutch
Treat): Many
participants at past RE and Filial Therapy Conference annual
meeting workshops have enjoyed each others company over
dinner at a restaurant in Bethesda. We will do the same this
year, on Friday,
March 31
at 6:30 p.m. While prepayment is
not necessary, it is necessary for planning purposes to know
who plans to attend, so please indicate on the registration
form that you would like to attend the dinner so that we can
make appropriate arrangements and reserve table space for
our group. Some participants may also choose to go out to
dinner on Saturday evening, but that will not be a formally
organized event.
Travel: For those coming by air: NIRE is 15 miles from Washington
National, 22 miles from Baltimore-Washington, and 18 miles
from Dulles Airports. For those coming by car:
NIRE is two miles south of the Connecticut Avenue exit or
the Wisconsin Avenue exit of the Beltway
(I-495).
Municipal parking is very close and is free on
Saturday (at Waverly and East-West Highway). Be
certain to bring plenty of quarters to feed the meter for
parking on Friday. The cost is $.75 per hour in long term
parking; plan on 9 hours, i.e., $6.75. (To be safe, bring a
roll of quarters!) Parking is free on Saturday. All
registrants will be sent a map detailing how to reach
NIRE.
Accommodations: Discounted hotel rooms are available at the
Bethesda Court Hotel. To secure the discounted rate, please
call 1-800-874-0050 and ask for the
“NIRE” rate, which for 2016 is $129 per
night Thursday through Sunday, plus a $15.00 per night fee
for parking. This
discounted rate is available until the hotel reaches a
certain point of capacity for the respective dates, so you
are advised to make reservations as early as
possible. Information about alternative
accommodations can be provided when you
register.
For Further Information about arrangements, call the
NIRE Administrative Office at
301-680-8977.
Registration: To
register, please
(1) call NIRE at
301-680-8977
(2) send your Registration Form by fax to
1-502-226-7088
or (3) mail your Registration Form and check to:
NIRE, 4400 East-West Highway #24, Bethesda, MD
20814-4501.
Caution: Do not send credit card information via
email.
Registration
Form
AFREM Special
Workshops Registration Form
We look forward to seeing you
there!
Rob Scuka, Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Institute of Relationship
Enhancement®
