How common is it in the couples you work with for one partner to pursue the other, pressuring them in some way for change while the other seeks physical emotional space, avoiding at all costs? How disruptive have you found this pattern in your clients’ relationships and in your therapy? What factors contribute to this pattern occurring, and what specific strategies can we use to bring about positive change?

Drawing on the recently published JMFT article “Gender, attachment, and demand/withdraw patterns in the context of moderate couple conflict in cisgender, heterosexual relationships” (Seedall, 2024), Dr. Ryan Seedall will discuss how, as clinicians, it is crucial to understand interactional patterns and processes. In particular, he will summarize what we know about one of the most common patterns in couple relationships: demand/withdraw. Importantly, many (but not all) of our clinical intuitions about demand/withdraw align nicely with research. The overall goal of this webinar is to integrate the research with practical considerations for clinicians.

Come participate in this timely presentation and dialogue. You can also access a free copy of the article here and participate in a Q&A session following the presentation. All are welcome.

Learning Objectives:

• Based on the content of this session, I am able to understand what we currently know about demand/withdraw patterns in couple relationships.
• Based on the content of this session, I am able to explain the role gender and attachment in demand/withdraw patterns.  
• Based on the content of this session, I am able to learn practical tips therapists can use to work with demand/withdraw patterns in couple relationships.  

Continuing Education: 1 Credit Hour
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