A603 Bringing the New Science of Love into Everyday Life

During the past 25 years of empirical research and clinical practice, we’ve learned an enormous amount about what keeps love and intimacy alive year after year. This Telecourse will show how the principles and methods of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) can provide an educational framework for couples to transform their relationships and strengthen their love bond. You’ll learn how to apply the major findings in the new science of bonding, attachment, and disconnection to address relationship distress, with an emphasis on how to conduct conversations that build a secure bond, address disconnections, and restore a love relationship.

Meet The Instructor

Susan Johnson, Ed.D., is professor of psychology at the University of Ottawa and director of the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute and Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy. She’s a research professor at Alliant University in San Diego, California. Her most recent book is Hold Me Tight. Her websites are www.eft.ca and www.holdmetight.net.

Course Contents

Session 1: The new era of couples therapy and education • Images and concepts of adult love • The task of the couples therapist and educator • The new science of love

Session 2: The nature of relationship distress • The science of disconnection and attachment • New findings on adult bonding • The impact of emotional disconnection/connection on relationships

Session 3: Overview of key conversations to restore and revive a love relationship • Key concepts and dramas in conversations that address disconnection • Key concepts and dramas in conversations that build a secure bond • Case examples and intervention issues

Session 4: Overview of key conversations to consolidate a love relationship • Key concepts and dramas in the forgiveness of injuries • Key concepts and dramas in sex and bonding • Summary of the new science of love

Learning Objectives

1. Define the key responses and cycles that sabotage a felt sense of connection in a couple’s relationship.
2. Identify the basic needs and fears--the music of the relationship dance.
3. Learn to shape conversations that foster a secure, lasting bond between partners.