The Couples Therapist Couch

This is the first solo episode on the Couples Therapist Couch. Shane Birkel talks about how love changes over time and normalizes how different it might feel at different phases of the relationship. In order to keep love alive with our partners, it takes a lot of work.  As the New Year approaches it is important for all of us to set relationship goals along with all of the other areas of our lives.  Thank you all for listening in 2017. There are already lots of great episodes scheduled for 2018. I appreciate all of you! Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group.

Most Couples Therapists understand the importance of bringing sex into the conversation in couples therapy. Unfortunately, most feel unprepared to know what questions to ask, how to make clients feel comfortable, and what to do with the information once it is part of the conversation. In this episode, Sex Therapist, Martha Kauppi and I talk all about how to do that. She has identified 6 questions that she says should be a part of the assessment process for every couple we see. She clearly breaks down important issues that we should be specifically asking about and what to do with that information. Martha Kauppi has a lifelong career in sexual health, counseling, and creative education. She has been a midwife, an artist, and is currently a certified sex therapist. She is the founder of The Institute for Relational Intimacy which is committed to competence working with a full array of sex issues, including sexual health concerns, alternative sexualities, problematic sexual behavior, and LGBTQAI+ related concerns. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group. Resources For more information visit Martha's website at instituteforrelationalintimacy.com Sign up here for the free mini workshop. The next 16 week course starts on February 5. Go to the website for more information.

Hedy Schleifer has developed an deep and rich model of working with couples based on her decades of experience as a couples therapist as well as using her own relationship as a "living laboratory." Encounter-centered Couples Therapy is an experience for one couple to work with the therapist for two full days and connect with each other in a way they have never imagined. This experience leads to transformational change for the couples and there is more and more research to show that the synaptic process of the brain can be changed through something called memory reconsolidation.  The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group. Resources For more information visit Hedy's website at hedyyumi.com. She has tons of resources and educational materials on her website so definitely check it out! Here are the events Hedy has coming up.  

This is the third Bonus Business episode in a series that is release the first Thursday of each month. Being in Private Practice can be lonely and therapists tend to be introverts to begin with. In this episode Shane talks with Amber Hawley about how therapists can build their business community. Therapists need to do a better job of making their businesses a priority and having a business bestie (or besties) can help. Amber Hawley is the co-host, along with Maelisa Hall, of the podcast, My Biz Bestie. She is also the owner of a group practice, licensed marriage and family therapist, business coach, ENFT, mom of three kids and avid coffee drinker. My Biz Bestie is a podcast focused on sharing ways of connecting with other female entrepreneurs, making the most of networking, discussing helpful biz resources and having fun while being in business. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy and a bonus episode the first Thursday of each month about the business of private practice. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group Resources Visit Amber’s personal website at www.amberhawley.com Visit Amber's practice website at www.fremontcounselingservices.com Check out the podcast website for MyBizBestie Check out the site for online resources for couples, couplesfix Maelisa Hall's site for paperwork support for mental health professionals QAprep Books Get Rich Lucky Bitch by Denise Duffield-Thomas

In order to guide couples to greater intimacy it can be helpful to have a framework that is backed up by decades of research. Laura Heck talks with Shane in this episode about the fact that as a therapist, there is no substitute for experience, but having exercises and interventions can be life changing for couples when used properly. Laura Heck is an LMFT and Certified Gottman Therapist in private practice in Salt Lake City, UT. She is co-founder of forBetter, an action driven online coaching tool for couples that teaches the science of successful relationships through straight talking and exercises. She co-hosts Marriage Therapy Radio where you can be a fly on the wall while two marriage therapists hash out some of the most common issues couples encounter. She is the co-developer and master trainer for the Gottman Seven Principles Program and consults as a relationship expert for corporations and media outlets. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group Resources Visit Laura Heck's practice website at www.laurahecktherapy.com Check out the online coaching tool for couples at www.forbetter.us Check out Laura's podcast, Marriage Therapy Radio HIPPA compliant video conferencing mentioned during the show: wecounsel.com

Lately in our country it seems like race and privilege are at the forefront of the media. From police shootings, to Donald Trump, to kneeling during the national anthem, these issues have a huge impact on everyone, particularly people of color. This is not new, in fact it has been going on for hundreds of years.  In this episode, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford talks about being open to staying in the conversation. The worst thing we can do in these situations is to shut down the things that need to be discussed. We need to open up our awareness to the microagressions that happen on a daily basis all around us. Dr. Joy is a Licensed Psychologist in Decatur, GA whose clinical specialty is helping women recover from breakups. She is the founder of Therapy for Black Girls which is a community of collegiate and professional black women who are committed to mental wellness and personal development. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group Resources Visit Dr. Joy's website at therapyforblackgirls.com Check out Dr. Joy's podcast called Therapy for Black Girls on iTunes. Find Dr. Joy Harden Bradford and Therapy for Black Girls on twitter, facebook, and instagram.

In therapy we participate in the conversation with people as they explore the potential for their lives. As a masterful therapist, Lori Gottlieb knows this work, but she is also an expert at something that is a bit different. She receives letters from people who need help in their lives. She doesn’t talk with them, ask questions, or get to know who they are. Using only the letter each person sends, she crafts a response that sheds light and provides amazingly in-depth insight for her column in the New York Magazine called What Your Therapist Really Thinks. Lori is a psychotherapist and bestselling author of 4 books, most recently, Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough. In this episode she talks about the process and challenges of writing her column. She is also writing a new book called, Girl Walks Into A Therapy Room. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy and a bonus episode the first Thursday of each month about the business of private practice. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Resources Visit Lori's website at lorigottlieb.com Read articles from Lori's column, What Your Therapist Really Thinks Lori's Books Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough I Love You, Nice to Meet You: A Guy and a Girl Give the Lowdown on Coupling Up Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self Inside the Cult of Kibu: And Other Tales of the Millennial Gold Rush Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group

Addiction and substance abuse are significant issues that affect a huge number of relationships. Unfortunately, many therapists feel incompetent to work with couples when this is a presenting issue. Dr. Bob Navarra sheds light on this matter by giving therapists a new way of thinking about couples and addiction. Bob Navarra is a master Gottman Therapist and has over 35 years of experience working with couples. He has done extensive work with couples and addiction and now teaches a training to help educate therapists about how to work with this. Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy and a bonus episode the first Thursday of each month about the business of private practice. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Resources Visit Bob's website at robertnavarra.net Visit the facebook page called Couples Recovery Check out the trainings and resources available at the Gottman Institute Assessments mentioned Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) CAGE questionnaire Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group

When working with couples where one partner is a first responder there are specific issues to be aware of that can help make the work in therapy much more beneficial. Whether one works as a law enforcement officer, for the fire department, or as an EMT, there are common themes that can be extremely important for the partner as well as the therapist to understand. During this interview, Cyndi Doyle goes into great depth about how we can be more aware of and sensitive to specific challenges that first responders and their partners face. Cyndi has a podcast called Code 4 Couples, which is specifically for law enforcement officers and their relationships. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy and a bonus episode the first Thursday of each month about the business of private practice. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Resources Visit Cyndi's podcast website called Code 4 Couples Visit Cyndi's practice website at Pecan Branch Counseling Books mentioned: A CHiP on my Shoulder by Victoria Newman I Love a Cop: Revised Edition: What Police Families Need to Know by Ellen Kirschman Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and their Families by Kevin Gilmartin Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group

There is a growing movement of therapists who are using various social media platforms to connect with the people who need them. In this incredible interview with Silvy Khoucasian, we talk all about using Instagram in order to market your private practice. This is the second bonus business episode for the purpose of helping therapists grow their private practices. Silvy has been able to grow her Instagram following to over 16,000 followers in under a year. Because of this, she has a way to provide value to people to help them in their relationships. Potential clients have the opportunity to get to know her before deciding to work with her. She has tons of amazing tips for listeners to be able to grown their reach by building an Instagram following. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. There is an episode released every Tuesday about the practice of couples therapy and a bonus episode the first Thursday of each month about the business of private practice. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes! Resources Visit Silvy's website at silvykhoucasian.com Follow Silvy on Instagram at silvykhoucasian Click here to join the Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group