This in-person workshop with Catherine Pfuntner, LMFT, CSAC, ICADC, offers 6 CEs.

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When an individual client is struggling with chronic ambivalence about whether to stay in a marriage or a long-term committed relationship, the therapist may also struggle with how to be helpful. Research shows that up to 22% of married individuals in any given year have serious divorce ideation. Most won’t divorce in the short run, but use individual therapy to process their ambivalent feelings about staying married. It's also common that a couple can show up in couples therapy with one or both spouses having ambivalence about the relationship. Some research shows that in 30% of couples that seek couples therapy, at least one is ambivalent about the marriage. Couples therapy is much harder in these cases because the therapist has two partners pulling the ship in two different directions.

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These therapy sessions are often dominated by the ups and downs of a stuck relationship, making it difficult to work on other therapeutic issues that may be closer to your clinical expertise. This workshop provides tools and strategies that therapists can use with their individual clients who are unsure about whether to stay in, seek couples therapy, or leave their marriage. This presentation also provides concrete skills for making referrals, when appropriate, for discernment counseling, a brief model designed specifically for couples when one partner is leaning out of the marriage but unsure about divorce or seeking couples therapy, and the other partner wants to preserve the relationship. Finally, the workshop will explore some available commitment assessment tools to use both with individual and couples to understand the nuances that show up in commitment ambivalence so that therapists are best equipped in identifying more helpful treatment options.

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This is a practical workshop that is backed by research on divorce ambivalence. Participants will receive many sample lines of communication to use with clients as well as key strategies to avoid bad-story-of-the-week individual therapy or premature referrals to couples therapy with clients who are not motivated to work on their marriage right now.

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Catherine Pfuntner, LMFT, CSAC, ICADC, is a therapist, consultant, supervisor, and trainer who knew early on she wanted to be a marriage and family therapist after realizing that teaching children meant being grossly outnumbered by tiny humans. Growing up in western New York state, she attended Houghton College for undergrad, then left the snow behind to attend graduate school in Hawaii at Chaminade University, fulfilling her dream of becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in 2013. Having served individuals, couples, and families in her work with children with Autism; substance abuse counseling treatment in all levels of care; and Veterans and Active Duty Service Members on military bases and with the VA, she is now in private practice specializing in individual and couples therapy, consultation, trainings, and supervision.

With nearly two decades in the field, her passion remains to serve the community from a compassionate systemic lens and provide other therapists, of all experience levels, the support, guidance, and encouragement they need for an often-challenging field. This passion has driven her to becoming a Master Practitioner in Discernment Counseling, Certified Neurodiverse Couples Therapist, trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist, trained in Level 1 Developmental Couples Therapy, and currently on the certification track for Gottman Method Couples Therapy. The work that most energizes Catherine is providing trainings and presentations to other professionals and the community on a range of topics, including substance abuse, couples therapy, Discernment Counseling, trauma, and Military and Veteran treatment. Catherine lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two dogs, trying to spend leisure time doing healthy activities, but usually ends up playing a lot of fetch and cleaning up dog fur.

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• Early bird discount is valid through 12 September 2025.
• Check-in opens at 8:30 am.
• Breakfast and lunch buffets will be provided, including gluten-free and vegetarian options.
• If you are a member of NHAMFT and a pre-clinical fellow (post-grad / pre-licensure), please email Christine before registering to obtain the contributor rate.

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REGISTRATION FAQs:

• You must have an AAMFT account, even if you are not a member, in order to register. Creating an account is free and can be done at the beginning of registration. This account will be used to access your CE certificate after the training. 
• The registration system will automatically assign you to the correct registrant category. If you believe your category is assigned in error, please contact Christine before completing your registration.
• If you do not have any form of membership with AAMFT, you are a non-member. 
• CEs are provided through AAMFT and are valid for all licenses covered by the Board of Mental Health in the state of NH. CEs are also valid for LMFTs in these additional states: ME, VT, MA, CT, RI