Couples Therapy
Build a strong foundation with our couples therapy counseling certification.
Why Earn Your Certificate in Couples Therapy at Adelphi University in New York?
The Adelphi University Postgraduate Program in Couple Therapy is a two-year part-time course of study that offers an integrated approach to couples treatment which is grounded in a theory encompassing both family systems and diverse psychodynamic points of view. Candidates in our program will:
- Expand their theoretical knowledge and develop effective and practical clinical skills and interventions.
- Develop the proficiency to work with a wide range of couples.
- Study with faculty who are at the forefront of current scholarly and clinical practice in couple and marital treatment.
前提是，恋爱关系中的每一个人都有一个独立的内部世界，影响着整个夫妻关系。我们的观点是，治疗中的“病人”是一种关系，而不是个体。我们认为，将夫妻视为一个整体，而不仅仅是两个独立的个体，是治疗成功的关键。我们的方法集中在使用移情-反移情动力学，以及澄清夫妻问题的连锁共构，这些问题是限制夫妻互动体验和选择的未解决问题的代际传递的表现。
Our mission is to educate and train mental health professionals in psychoanalytic-systemic couples therapy to enable them to become flexible in the use of a wide variety of approaches to couples treatment. We encourage candidates to develop their own styles and methodologies in working with couples through the process of course work, supervision, and clinical practice.
Weekly Commitment for Couples Therapy Candidates
- Two seminars on Wednesday evening 6:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
- Individual 45-minute supervision (scheduled at the candidate’s convenience)
- Providing couple treatment through the Postgraduate
- Psychotherapy Center or the candidate’s private practice
- Personal psychotherapy
Program Info
All couples therapy programs in 2020-2021 are offered live online via Zoom.
Seminars, video recordings, class discussions, role playing, and case presentations provide a learning experience that helps candidates practice multiple approaches to couples therapy. Candidates will become acquainted with:
- Object Relations Theory
- Relational / Intersubjective Theory
- Structural Family Therapy
- The Gottman Approach
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Bowenian – Transgenerational Therapy
- Integration of psychoanalytic and systems theory and practice
- Trauma and relationship conflict
- The use of transference and countertransference in couple therapy
- Managing the trauma of infidelity
- Gender issues
- Working with difficult and volatile couples
- Re-married couples/blended families
- Treating LGBTQ couples
- Ethnicity and cultural influences
- Managing impasses in couple therapy
- Divorce and divorce counseling
- Sexuality and sex therapy
- Attachment in couple relationships
- Genograms and the family-life-cycle
- The importance of the therapist’s family-of-origin
Upon completion of the program candidates are expected to:
- Work with a wide range of couples using psychodynamic and systems theory and techniques.
- Recognize the complex nature of relationships including intrapsychic, interpersonal, socio-cultural and gender influences.
- Conduct comprehensive evaluations and develop effective treatment plans and clinical interventions.
- Gain recognition as a specialist in marital and couple therapy.
- Upon completion of the program participants will receive a Certificate in Couple Therapy from Adelphi University
Licensed and license-eligible practitioners in the following mental health fields are eligible to apply to the program: Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists, Psychoanalysts, and Art Therapists.
Application Requirements
Licensed and license-eligible practitioners in the following mental health fields are eligible to apply to the program: Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists, Psychoanalysts, and Art Therapists.
Applicants for this program and should submit the following:
- Graduate application and $50 fee
- Professional license and copy of current malpractice insurance coverage certificate
- Two letters of recommendation from an academic or professional source
- Personal essay (500 words)
- All official college/university transcripts
- Résumé/CV
The applicant will be contacted for a personal interview.
Awards & Recognition
