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  •  June 16, 2021 - June 18, 2021
     8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Times listed are Pacific Standard Time.

Practicum

Level 3 Training | Gottman Method Couples Therapy

Three-day Event | 8:30 am - 5 pm
Registration Deadline: June 11, 12 midnight PST

Master Your
Counseling Skills

Practice and refine your use of Gottman Method therapy. Receive personalized guidance in developing a roadmap for making sound clinical decisions.

The Level 3 Training content represents the true resistances and co-morbidities we face as therapists and how we can transform them into effective healing methods for the couple.

The workshop is structured to help create a safe and secure environment so participants can learn and practice while feeling free of criticism and negative judgment.

Small-Group Setting | Personalized Guidance

Level 3 | PRACTICUM Training

What You Receive

20 Credits

Up to 20 Continuing Education hours

PDF Manual

200+ page digital Gottman Level 3 Clinical Training Manual

Certificate

Certificate of Completion from The Gottman Institute

Eligibility

Eligibility to continue to the Certification Track.

Learn From a Master Gottman Trainer

Level 3 | Practicum

Who Should Attend?

Training is for:

Mental Health Professionals

  • Psychologists,
  • Social Workers,
  • Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs),
  • Professional Counselors,
  • Addiction Counselors, and
  • Other Mental Health Professionals.

Completion of Level 1 Training and Level 2 Training is required, as well as a master’s degree, doctoral degree, or current enrollment in a graduate program within a mental health-related field is required.

Therapy experience is highly recommended, but not required.

Grow Your Practice

Level 3 | Practicum

What Will You Learn in Level 3?

Assessments

Building on the knowledge obtained from Level 1 Training and Level 2 Training, you will master how to effectively use the Oral History Interview during a couple’s assessment and understand its implications.

Friendship System

You will learn how to select and utilize appropriate tools to help a couple deepen their Friendship System. You will learn how to clarify a couple’s conflicts in terms of solvable, perpetual, and grid-locked problems.

Compromise Ovals

You will learn how to successfully intervene when one or both partners are flooding, help a couple reach solutions using the Compromise Ovals intervention, and sensitively intervene when co-morbidities are present.

Four Horsemen

You will learn how to clearly explain to a couple their strengths and challenges in terms of the Sound Relationship House, and how to help partners identify their own “Four Horsemen” and understand the antidotes.

Dreams Within Conflict

Use the “Dreams Within Conflict” technique to help a couple feel hopeful and to achieve break-through with their perpetual conflict.

Level 3 Preparation Checklist

Want a Refresher? Take Dr. Jack's Course & Get Free Retakes.

Level 3 | Practicum

How Can The Gottman Method Help You?

Training Objectives:

At the completion of this training, you will be able to:

  1. Choose an intervention that is appropriate for the clients at the moment.
  2. Recognize the Four Horseman when one member of a couple exhibits that behavior.
  3. Stop the couple’s dyadic interaction when one member exhibits one of the four horseman. Describe the Four Horseman to the couple.
  4. Explain the antidote to the relevant horseman clearly and accurately.
  5. Coach the person with an alternative way to express him- or herself using an appropriate antidote.
  6. Re-direct the couple to resume communication in a dyadic way. Continue to monitor for the four horsemen and intervene if they reemerge.
  7. Identify when one or both partners are physiologically flooded (and not just upset) and stop the interaction between the couple.
  8. Provide a brief explanation of flooding in clear, sensitive language.
  9. Intervene by guiding one or both partners through a relaxation technique before continuing.
  10. Explain the Dreams Within Conflict process and goals clearly.
  11. Instruct couple on the Dreams Within Conflict intervention.
  12. Assist one partner to ask the other partner questions about the dream or deeper meaning imbedded in their specific gridlocked issue.
  13. Provide The Dream Catcher Questions handout and coach one partner to ask the other questions from the handout to increase understanding of their partner’s underlying dreams or deeper meaning embedded in the specific gridlocked issue; help the couple hold to the questions to go deeper vs. getting into their own point of view.
  14. Introduce the concept of softened start-ups and explain why it helps (i.e., it is easier for their partner to hear and understand their point).
  15. Explain research showing that the first three minutes of a discussion predicts whether that discussion will go well and whether their overall relationship will go well.
  16. Explain importance of expressing needs in positive terms and instruct the partner to restate their point without criticism and then direct them to resume dyadic interaction.
  17. Stop couple’s interaction when one or both partners are not accepting influence.
  18. Explain the need for accepting influence (which may include reference to research). This includes finding a way to understand and honor some aspect of their partner’s position, with a focus on yielding and accepting influence rather than on persuading.
  19. Stop couple and instruct in the concept of offering and accepting repairs and why it is useful.
  20. Provide the Repair Checklist and explains it use.
  21. Ask appropriate Gottman Oral History questions and stay on track with sensitivity to couple’s issues and building rapport.
  22. Conduct Oral History interview with appropriate timing.
  23. Conduct Oral History interview with sensitivity to issues of co-morbidity.

 

"Trust is built in very small moments."

Dr. John Gottman
Level 3 | Practicum

Video Participation

Case Discussion in Certification Practicum:

Participants are asked to submit a short (approximately ten minutes) video segment (on DVD or USB thumb drive) of difficult and challenging couples to the Level 3 Training. The therapist’s work with the couple will not be critiqued. In fact, the video does not even need to show the therapist, just seeing the couple is all that is needed.

The purpose will be to use these couples to illustrate how the Gottman Method can be applied to these tough cases. The trainer(s) will describe how they would treat these couples and then participants from the audience will volunteer to role play these couples with the trainer(s) demonstrating using a variety of interventions with these couples. Participants will then have the opportunity to practice using these interventions in a supportive small group setting with other participants’ role playing the couples from the videos.

You will have access to a Box.com folder specifically for your Level 3 Training. Attendees will need to accept an emailed Box.com invitation in order to access the folder. We are not able to support the following video formats: Mini DVD’s, “High-8,” alternate or nonstandard international formats, such as “Super-8.” Access will be terminated one week after the event.

Submitting video tape isn’t required, but it will help make the training more meaningful for everyone. If you cannot bring submit a taped segment, it would help to bring a brief written description of a challenging couple for the same purpose. This is for Case Discussion within the context of Certification Practicum ONLY and is not related to the videotaped interventions submitted for final Certification Review.

Reviews

"Was able to get all my questions answered. Gleaning information from a Master Trainer is priceless."
"Dr. Jack continued to provide me mentorship after the class. I still rely on his knowledge and experience."
"Wow! I really feel like I can help couples with co-morbidities."
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Your Presenters

Dr. John "Jack" Crossen

Dr. Crossen is the only master Gottman trainer in the Portland area, and has an extensive history of direct collaboration with Gottman Institute founders Drs. John and Julie Gottman. In addition to working with couples at workshops, classes and private sessions, Dr. Crossen also trains and certifies other healthcare professionals to become Gottman therapists.

He has 30+ years of experience and numerous partnerships with universities, counseling centers and private practices throughout the northwest region.

Dr. "Jack" Crossen, Master Gottman Trainer & Certified Gottman Therapist

Sabrina Walters, LMFT, LCP

Sabrina brings a wealth of counseling experiences, including providing intensive sessions for couples nationwide, providing Equine Assisted Therapy, and teaching at George Fox University.

Sabrina is the owner of Core Values Counseling in Oregon. She and her husband, Eric, are co-authors of "Enticing Love, Real Hope for Real Relationships." They also host couples retreats in the Oregon countryside.

Sabrina Walters, LMFT, LCP, & Certified Gottman Therapist

Gottman Master Trainer
Gottman Level 1, 2, 3 Trainer
Gottman Seven Principles Leader