Lunch and Learn: Using Family Systems Theory to De-triangulate Mixed Faith Couples + 1.0 Ethics CEU

Chelsea Cheney, LMFT

Chelsea is a couples and family therapist passionate about finding more support for mixed-faith families. As a doctoral candidate at the University of Iowa, she focuses on faith changes in relationships and is currently studying the experiences of believing Mormon individuals who have a spouse disaffiliate from the church.

Summary

This presentation will utilize Family Systems theory as a guide for mental health providers for systemic diagnosis and interventions when a spouse disaffiliates from a previously shared faith in marriage, specifically through examining the concept of positive and negative uses of triangulation within the therapeutic and family systems.

Learning objectives

1). Participants will be able to diagnose problems developed in the couple system through identifying current trajectories and problematic issues of autonomy and adaptation.

2). Participants will be able to map out steps to restructure the couple system by de-triangulating prior-shared beliefs and using provider positionality to reconstruct shared triangulation.

3). Participants will identify possible provider countertransference that interferes with couple adaptation.