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Overcoming the Fear of Intimacy

CE Hours 3

About this course

In this Webinar, Dr. Lisa Firestone explains both what causes this fear as well as how individuals can push past this fear and expand their capacity for love. By providing participants with a theoretical model that integrates psychodynamic, existential and family systems frameworks, Dr. Firestone assists individuals and clinicians working with clients to develop and maintain true intimacy in their relationships. She introduces interventions that can lead to enhanced communication and more personal relating between couples, while also creating a heightened sense of individuality in each partner.

Learning Objectives

  • Apply techniques from Voice Therapy to help challenge clients’ negative thoughts toward themselves and their partners.
  • Explain how early childhood traumas affect an individual’s ability to maintain intimacy.
  • Describe how the Fantasy Bond can interfere with couple relationships.

Learning Levels

  • Intermediate

Course Instructor(s)

  • Lisa Firestone

    Dr. Lisa Firestone is the Director of Research and Education at The Glendon Association. An accomplished and much requested lecturer, Dr. Firestone speaks at national and international conferences in the areas of couple relations, parenting, and suicide and violence prevention. Dr. Firestone has published numerous professional articles, and most recently was the co-author of Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships (APA Books, 2006), Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice (New Harbinger, 2002), Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: The Wisdom of Psychotherapy (APA Books, 2003) and The Self Under Siege (Routledge, 2012). Follow Dr. Firestone on Twitter or Google.

References

  • Dansby Olufowote, R. A., Fife, S. T., Schleiden, C., & Whiting, J. B. (2020). How Can I Become More Secure?: A Grounded Theory of Earning Secure Attachment. Journal of marital and family therapy, 46(3), 489–506. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12409
  • Fani Sobhani F, Ghorban Shiroudi S, Khodabakhshi-Koolaee A. (2021). Effect of Two Couple Therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Schema Therapy, on Forgiveness and Fear of Intimacy in Conflicting Couples. PCP 2021; 9 (4) :271-282 URL: http://jpcp.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-783-en.html
  • Giovazolias, T., & Paschalidi, E. (2022). The Effect of Rejection Sensitivity on Fear of Intimacy in Emerging Adulthood: A Moderated-Mediation Model. European Journal of Psychology Open, 81(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1024/2673-8627/a000019
  • Hudson, N. W., Chopik, W. J., & Briley, D. A. (2020). Volitional change in adult attachment: Can people who want to become less anxious and avoidant move closer towards realizing those goals? European Journal of Personality, 34(1), 93–114. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2226
  • Park, Y., Impett, E. A., Spielmann, S. S., Joel, S., & MacDonald, G. (2021). Lack of Intimacy Prospectively Predicts Breakup. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(4), 442-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620929499
  • Morris, D. (1982). Attachment and Intimacy. In: Fischer, M., Stricker, G. (eds) Intimacy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4160-4_19
  • Lachica, N., Stockwell, A., & Gamba, J. (2021). What did I just say? An individualized behavior skills training for listening behaviors of adult participants in romantic relationships. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 38(4), 732–755. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2021.1922664
  • Firestone, R. W. (2021). The Enemy Within. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678211025354
  • Firestone, R. W., & Solomon, S. (2022). Separation Theory: Sheldon Solomon Interview With Robert Firestone. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 62(5), 770-782. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167818796881