AT THIS TIME REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
The term “blended family” captures the fervent wishes stepcouples often bring for connection and a fresh start. The realities often involve “resistant” children and anxious, confused adults struggling with intense feelings of “insiderness” and “outsiderness,” questions about discipline, “appropriate” rules, and ever-present ex-spouse relationships. Whether working with individuals or kids, couples or families, Dr. Papernow will help participants recognize the five major predictable challenges stepfamilies face. She will provide psychoeducational, interpersonal, and individual interventions for successfully navigating these often intense and divisive forces.
Workshop Objectives
At the end of this conference, participants will be able to:
- Describe the fundamental differences between first-time families and stepfamilies
- Describe the challenges that stepfamily structure creates for parents, stepparents, and couples in stepfamilies
- Describe the challenges children in stepfamilies face
- Describe three levels of clinical intervention
- List concrete, evidence-informed strategies to meet stepfamily challenges
Dr. Patricia Papernow, EdD, is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on "blended families." She is in her fourth decade of working with, learning about, and teaching others about stepfamily relationships. She is the 2017 recipient of the American Psychological Association Couple and Family Therapy Division Award for Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology. Her most recent book,
Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn't, has received rave reviews from both stepfamily members and helping professionals. She is the author of over 30 articles and book chapters and is frequently interviewed by national and local media. Her first book,
Becoming a Stepfamily, is also widely recognized as a classic in the field.
Dr. Papernow is the Director of the Institute for Stepfamily Education and a psychologist in private practice in Hudson, MA. She divides her time between clinical practice, supervision, and training. As a clinician, Dr. Papernow works primarily in the Internal Family Systems model, also integrating her training in couple and family therapy, Gestalt therapy, attachment, trauma, interpersonal neurobiology, preventive mental health, and learning disabilities.
Detailed Workshop Schedule:
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8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
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Coffee and Registration
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9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
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Introduction
Meet Claire and Gary’s Family The Numbers!
Internal Family Systems 101
How Stepfamilies Are Different
Stepfamilies Come in Many Forms
The Map: 5 Challenges and Three Levels of Intervention
The Five Challenges of “Stepfamily Architecture”
Three Levels of Intervention
1. Psychoeducational: What’s normal, what works, and what doesn’t
2. Interpersonal: Increasing connection and empathy
3. Intrapsychic: “Papernow’s Bruise Theory of Feelings”
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9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
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Meeting the 5 Challenges:
First Challenge: Insider/outsider positions are intense. And “stuck”.
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10:30 AM -10:45 AM
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Break and Refreshments
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10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
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First challenge, continued
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11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Second Challenge: Children struggle with losses, loyalty, and lots of change.
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12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
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Break
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12:15 AM - 12:30 PM
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Questions
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12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
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Third Challenge: Parenting tasks divide parents and stepparents.
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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
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Lunch
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2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
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Questions
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2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
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Fourth Challenge: Stepcouples must build a new family culture while respecting already-established cultures.
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3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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Fifth challenge: Ex-spouses are part of the family
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3:30 PM - 4:15 PM
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Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships
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4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
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Wrap–up and Questions
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Our cancellation policy is set by AAMFT, and is as follows:
- If you cancel more than 3 weeks before event there will be 100% refund
- If you cancel less than 3 week and more than 2 weeks before event there will be an 80% refund
- If you cancel less than 2 weeks before event, there will be no refund
To cancel, please email nhamft@gmail.com