Embrace the Dissonance: Understanding Couples as They Come Apart
Presented by: Barbara Burr, Esq. and Lisa Herrick, PhD
Most of us choose our life partner with the promise that our beloved will meet our most profound longings. Our hopes reflect compelling, often unconscious hungers deep in our souls. Consider Imago theory’s “ghost partner,” or the “lock and key” from Navigating the Emotional Dynamics of Divorce. Two people choose each other with wishes that often lead to struggle, disappointment, and anger as the very same characteristics that pulled the couple together now push them apart. And often, those same forces pull us into parallel struggles with our Collaborative team members as clients clamber for validation that bleeds into alignment if not enmeshment. This program teaches us to embrace the dissonance – to explore each marriage’s disappointing patterns so we can understand both clients deeply, and compassionately. We will practice the art of holding both partners’ clashing narratives—the magical tool that encourages clients to venture forward on a pathway that once again promises hope.
*This presentation is intended for Collaboratively trained professionals or those interested in becoming trained in the Collaborative Process. For more information about attending this presentation, please contact the CPNV Administrator at admin@cpnova.com.
**For those wanting to learn more about the Collaborative Process and other divorce approaches, we invite you to our monthly Divorce Options Program ™ held on the first Tuesday of the month. More information on and registering for a DOP ™ event, please see the DOP description HERE.