• couple at home talking on sofa

    Certificate in the Study of the Couple Relationship

Get in touch with us

Send us an email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you'd like to know more about this course or have any questions. Our team is happy to help.

Key information

Dates: One Saturday per month (six Saturdays in total) - dates for 2023/2024 TBC

CPD Hours: 42

Fee: £1,250 plus £50 application fee

Venue: This is an Online CPD Course which will be held using the Zoom teleconferencing app/web platform

Course code: London01

Applications: TBC - please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be placed on the mailing list

COURSE CONTENT WILL BE DELIVERED ONLINE VIA WEBCAM

Teaching and supervision is provided by senior staff. All our trainings and supervisions are delivered by highly experienced staff at Tavistock Relationships.

Meet Our Team

  • Overview

    This stimulating course looks into some of the most fascinating aspects of couple relationships, including sex and sexuality, hate, aggression, and the myriad of unconscious processes such as unconscious phantasy and beliefs. This is a theory based course where the learning is participative. Course leaders and attendees will draw on their own clinical material to develop understanding of psychoanalytic concepts as they relate to the adult couple relationship.

  • Content

    What the course covers:

    • Shared Unconscious Relationship and Couple Fit
    • The Couple in Mind
    • Thinking about the Couple in Individual Work
    • Hate/Aggression/Violence
    • Sex/Sexuality/Oedipal Issues
    • Unconscious Phantasy and Unconscious Beliefs
    • The Couple Relationship and Containment.

    Course Components:

    • Presentations
    • Film, Theory Papers
    • Theoretical Discussions
    • Clinical Seminars and Case Discussion
    • Each participant will have an opportunity to present some detailed clinical material, which will be used to develop understanding of the psychoanalytic concepts related to unconscious couple processes.
  • Entry requirements

    The course is for qualified therapists and other workers working with individuals (adult and child) and families who want to explore and understand the couple relationship and its impact on their particular client base. The course is also for qualified therapists interested in working with couples and who want to understand more before undertaking further clinical training.

  • Course tutors

    Picture of Ruth Shane - tutor

    Ruth Shane

    After a background in Art and Design, Ruth trained as a Couple and Relationship Counsellor at London Marriage Guidance, and then completed the SAP training in supervision. She has continued her involvement with Tavistock relationships as a Trainer, Tutor and Supervisor.

    For many years Ruth taught on both the Theory and the Skills component of the PGDip/MA in Couple and Individual Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy. Ruth also devised and delivered the IAPT foundation course for Couples and Depression in various locations around England, as well as presenting short training courses for other organisations including Relate, UEL and Tonbridge Wells Counselling Centre.

    Ruth is also qualified as an Individual Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and for many years was Chair of the Guild of Psychotherapists. Ruth works in Private Practice as a Supervisor and therapist, treating both couples and individuals.

    The course will also include presentations from guest lecturers. Details to be confirmed.

Course Dates and Times

The course will take place on six Saturdays from 10am to 5pm on each of the dates, and will be delivered online via webcam.

Dates for 2023/2024 TBC

Previous Dates:

  • 8 October 2022
  • 12 November 2022
  • 3 December 2022
  • 7 January 2023
  • 4 February 2023
  • 4 March 2023

How to apply for this course

APPLICATIONS TBC

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Course leader

Bridget Wilkins

Amanda Hughes is an experienced psychotherapist and faculty staff member at Tavistock Relationships. She is the Programme Head for the Psychodynamic Clinical Qualification Training at Tavistock Relationships, responsible for student applications and the Foundation and Pre-Clinical trainings. Amanda also teaches on the Certificate in the Study of the Couple Relationship (for qualified individual therapists), the Pre-Clinical course and the Clinical training.

Read about our Clinical Training Team

Student testimonials

The quality of the materials and teaching is excellent and the staff are friendly and supportive.

A former student

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