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The Playbook

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The Comprehensive Guide for Working with Couples

(For Qualified Counsellors)

 

An 8-day (over 4 months) CPD Certificate Course offering all the Tools, Techniques and Talking Therapies to become better equipped in working therapeutically with couples.

Who is The Playbook for?

The Playbook in association with the Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP) has been constructed and designed by Lottie Passell-Syms for qualified Counsellors and Psychotherapists who have an interest in becoming more skilled in working therapeutically with couples.

 

  • This is a comprehensive pack for working with couples.

  • The modules cover assessments and contracting, tools, techniques and talking therapies used by Lottie, conflict & affairs and sex & intimacy. 

  • Feedback from Playbook students has indicated that the rich and diverse content applies to those with little or no experience with couples to those with vast experience. 

What do I get?

This course gives you 90 hours of CPD and all of the tools, techniques and talking therapies to equip you with more structure in working with couples with confidence.

 

Alongside the training programme you will receive a number of documents related to enquiries, assessment and contracting as well as homework sheets to give couples, to help set up your practice for couple work.

 

Experiential learning with a step by step guide including assessment criteria, live tutor role play, techniques and home play for clients. Skills practice as well as a robust contractual and business plan.

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About Me...

I have worked with couples for many years, and over that time I have had to think outside the box. I describe myself as an enabling therapist allowing for my clients to feel heard.

 

I facilitate permanent change, mapping cognitive learning throughout the therapy sessions.

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Through the Playbook I will give you a strategic plan on how to work with couples, a guide on how to think on your feet and loads of practical recommendations all in a inclusive and directive coaching style.

 

Allowing you to feel and be more confident to hold that place for your clients.

The course will include:

  • Teaching material on all the assessments available to use and modify to your practice.

  • Description & outline of homework for clients outside of the therapy room

  • Introduction to intimacy, psychosexual and variations of sexual practice

  • Discussions in the full group of the material being presented, including opportunities to ask questions and check understanding

  • Considerations and process for intake, history-taking and assessment, and therapeutic process with couples and other relationships

  • Experiential exercises to embed understanding of the material presented

  • Work in small groups (dyads, triads) as skills practice using the taught material.

1. Assessments, Contracts & Skills Practice

Friday 24th

&

Saturday 25th

March 2023

2. Tools, Techniques & Talking Therapies

Friday 28th

&

Saturday 29th

April 2023

3. Conflict, Communication & Affairs

Friday 19th

&

Saturday 20th

May 2023

4. Sex and Intimacy

 

Friday 16th

&

Saturday 17th

June 2023

Fri 22nd - Sat 23rd Mar 2024

 

Assessments, Contracts & Skills Practice

  • What to expect from working with couples & what couples should expect when working with you (How to work with [Insert your name] given to use in your practice).

  • Setting the tone, boundaries and therapeutic relationship within the first session.

  • Enquiry form, assessment, contract & homework sheets given available to use and modify to your practice.

  • Identifying early on the communication, behaviours and attitudes of the couple and how to navigate these.

  • Introduction of tools used with couples including psycho education 

  • The business side of being a couples therapist (fees, hours, paperwork, marketing)

Fri 19th & Sat 20th April 2024

 

Tools, Techniques & Talking Therapies

  • Using tools & techniques with couples when & how

  • Experiential exercises to embed understanding of the material presented

  • Curveballs: How to handle unexpected situations

  • Discussions in the full group of the material being presented, including opportunities to ask questions and check understanding

Fri 17th - Sat 18th May 2024

 

Conflict, Communication & Affairs

  • Communication and conflict - styles, causes and resolutions. 

  • Further tools to be used with couples to enhance their understanding of their behaviours to better communicate or ‘argue well’. 

  • The types of affairs couples can have explained and what repair can look like

  • Unconscious Uncoupling: the process of amicably ending a relationship with respect, compassion & mindfulness. 

Fri 21st & 22nd June 2024

 

Sex & Intimacy

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  • What does sex mean to us and how comfortable do we feel talking about sex with our clients

  • Your assessment form in relation to sex and the importance of taking this information at the start

  • How to re-start your couples having sex when there have been very long dry spells

  • Tools & techniques to increase intimacy and desire 

  • Normalising high and low libido and working with what you have 

  • Introduction to sexual dysfunctions 

  • A little bit about Tantra (Lottie uses Tantra with her couples to enhance their sex life - through non-touch work)

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Sarah Foley, Psychotherapist

I find Lottie’s approach fits my way or working perfectly and I am grateful for finding her.

Suzanne Mellors, Therapist

Lots of grounding, helpful information regarding starting work with couples, contracts and assessments etc. Engaging and informative discussion, practice as the therapist, as well as lots of learning from the roles plays and feedback.

Tracy Busbridge, Therapist

I gained a lot from module one, consolidation of things I knew and new learning of things I didn't. All the assessment information was very helpful and also hearing Lottie's experiences of her work helps to clarify how the tools we are learning can be used. I enjoyed the role plays and getting to know the group.

The Investment

Pay in Full (£1250) your application will be secured upon receipt of your payment.

 

Two payments of £650, the first of which will secure your place. The second instalment is due before January 31st 2024. 

 

Three payments of £445, he first of which will secure your place. The second and third instalment is due before February 29th 2024. 

 

**NEW** Six payments of £225, the first of which will secure your place. The last instalment will need to be paid by the end of June 2024.

 

If you are not a HACP member you will be charged an additional £25 for this training, or you can join for £15 here: - https://hacp.co.uk/online-application/ 


The training will take place in person at New Place Hotel and Conference Centre (Stratford Suite)

Directions for New Place can be found at 

https://www.newplacehotel.co.uk/ There is ample free parking. 

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The hours on each day are 9.30am - 4.30pm. 

 

The cost of the training includes all training materials, refreshments and two courses buffet lunch.

 

This training is looking extremely popular with our members and places are limited to a maximum of 40. If you would like to apply, please complete the online application form here:

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If you would like to book, please fill in this form.

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This is a very exciting opportunity and I hope to see you there. Really looking forward to working with you.

​

Lottie x

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P.s If you have any questions before booking, you are welcome to schedule a free 15 minute consultation with Lottie here.

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