Pathology and Partnership: When Personality Disorders Meet Couples Counseling

Title of Event: Pathology and Partnership: When Personality Disorders Meet Couples Counseling

Description of Event:

This presentation begins by defining personality disorders (PDs) as enduring, maladaptive patterns of behavior and inner experience that impair relationships, with a focus on Cluster B disorders like Narcissistic (NPD) and Borderline (BPD) Personality Disorders due to their prevalence in couples counseling. We’ll explore how PDs manifest as an "Emotional Ponzi Scheme House of Cards," where fragile defenses (e.g., grandiosity in NPD, splitting in BPD) create volatile dynamics—such as idealization-devaluation cycles or boundary violations—that destabilize partnerships. Drawing from sources like Landucci & Foley (2014), we’ll highlight common pairings (e.g., NPD+BPD, NPD+OCPD) and their unique challenges, including emotional volatility, poor insight, and countertransference risks for therapists. The introduction will emphasize the importance of recognizing these patterns early to tailor interventions effectively.

The second part outlines evidence-based interventions for couples with PDs, integrating eclectic strategies from Livesley’s (2005) phased approach—safety, containment, regulation, exploration, and integration—with specific techniques like boundary setting (Hafeez), DBT skills (Fruzzetti & Fruzzetti, 2003), and Gottman’s relational methods. We’ll discuss how therapists can serve as a “mirroring self-object” (Landucci & Foley) to validate injuries while fostering empathy and collaboration, illustrated through fictional case studies: “Laura and David” (NPD+BPD) navigating rage and abandonment fears, and “Alice and Eugene” (NPD+OCPD) balancing drama and control. The presentation concludes with practical tips—establishing a holding environment, managing countertransference, and setting common goals—supported by sources like Lachkar (1998), to equip clinicians with tools to stabilize these complex relationships.

Date of Event: July 12, 2026

Time of Event: 10:45 AM PDT -1:45 PM PDT

Location: Online Synchronous

Sex Therapy (ST) Training: 
ST1. Theory and methods of sex-related psychotherapy, including several different models.

Presenter/Speaker: Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, DHL

Contact Name: Raiza Queen Calda Enriquez

Contact Email: office@rivkasidorsky.com

Event Website: https://rivkasidorsky.org/workshops/PersonalityDisordersCouplesCounseling22/view

How many AASECT Approved CEs are you requesting?

3