Book and Video Announcements by Lawrence Josephs (USA)
Lawrence Josephs has a new book and video out published by the American Psychological Association (2017). The Dynamics of Infidelity: Applying Relationship Science to Psychotherapy Practice looks at infidelity through the lens of recent research in social, personality, and evolutionary psychology and presents an integrative relational/ mentalization approach to treatment. Restoring Trust After Infidelity is a training video that presents a couple trying to recover from infidelity and illustrates an integrative relational/ mentalization approach to helping the couple overcome betrayal trauma and restore a trusting relationship.
The Dynamics of Infidelity:
In this groundbreaking book Josephs argues for a new understanding of the psychological foundations of “cheating.”
Relationships are complicated. And as many therapists know, infidelity is a distressingly common issue for romantic couples. Unfortunately, most psychotherapy approaches tend to see infidelity as a manifestation of broader underlying problems and rarely offer insights or interventions to specifically address unfaithfulness and the impulses behind it.
Drawing on research in social, personality, and evolutionary psychology that examines the crucial roles of attachment theory and “dark” personality traits such as narcissism and low empathy, Josephs offers a complex but intuitive model that explains how and when intimate relationships work, and don’t work.
His integrative and compassionate approach to treatment is grounded in psychodynamic principles, yet uses interventions from a variety of approaches, including mentalization-based therapies, emotion-focused therapy, marital communication skills training, and mindfulness/acceptance techniques.
This book is a thought-provoking read for individual, family, and couples therapists seeking insights on how to address infidelity in their practice.
Restoring Trust After Infidelity:
Infidelity in any relationship creates devastating feelings of loss and betrayal, and can potentially result in insecure attachment bonds and subsequent separation or divorce. Couples seeking therapeutic intervention want to recover and repair the rupture, but often times are not sure how to push past what seems like an impasse—the betrayed partner suffers from hurt and anger, while the unfaithful partner suffers from shame and guilt.
In Restoring Trust After Infidelity (American Psychological Association, 2017), Josephs demonstrates his integrative mentalization-based approach for helping couples manage conflicts and emotional dysregulation.
In the therapy demonstration, Josephs works with a couple engaged to be married who have suffered from issues stemming from infidelity. Applying his approach, Josephs helps the couple to effectively manage negative interaction patterns and begin to restore trust and develop more secure attachment bonds.
Link to book: http://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4317457.asp
Link to video: http://www.apa.org/pubs/videos/4310980.aspx
Lawrence Josephs, PhD
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