150 Talks in 5 Days: The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference
I have arrived at the EOP Conference 2017 in Anaheim, CA! For those interested in following what the “who’s who” of the therapy world are talking about (and me running around for the next 5 days), here is my schedule:
Tuesday:
8:30AM – 9:30 AM “Stress and Health” by Robert Sapolsky
9:50AM -12:50PM “Healing from Infidelity” by Michele Weiner-Davis
2:00PM-3:00PM “Deconstructing Minuchin” by Sue Johnson
3:20PM-6:20PM “Emotional Experiences in Couples” by Sue Johnson
Wednesday:
8:30AM – 11:30 AM “Science of Couples and Family Therapy” by John and Julie Gottman
1:15PM -03:00PM “Body Keeps Score” by Bessel Van Der Kolk
3:00PM-4:30PM “Masculine vs. Feminine” by Esther Perel and Sue Yalom **BOOK SIGNING**
7:30PM-9:39PM “Mozart and the Art of Listening” by Robert Kapilow
Thursday:
8:00AM – 9:15 AM “Early Life Challenge and Unmet Childhood Needs” by Harville Hendrix
9:20AM -10:20AM “Resistance” by Judith Beck, William Miller, and Steven Hayes
10:40AM-11:40AM “When Panic Attacks” by David Burns
12:00PM-01:30PM “World We Seek” by Tipper Gore
02:45PM-03:45PM “Motivational Interviewing” by William Miller
4:05PM-5:05PM “Significance of Attachment” by Dan Siegel, Sue Johnson, and Otto Kernberg
5:25PM-6:25PM “Family and Couples Therapy” by The Gottmans, Sue Johnson, Harriet Lerner
Friday:
8:00AM – 9:00 AM “Sex and Intimacy in Couples Therapy” by Esther Perel
9:20AM -10:20AM “Apologizing and Forgiveness” by Harriet Lerner
10:40AM -11:40AM “Breakthroughs in CBT” by Aaron Beck
1:10PM-2:10PM “Evil to Heroism” by Philip Zimbardo
2:30PM-5:30PM “State of Affairs” by Esther Perel
3:20PM-6:20PM “Emotional Experiences in Couples” by Sue Johnson
7:00PM-9:00PM “What that Life?” by Irvin Yalom
Saturday:
8:15AM-11:15 AM “Sex Starved Marriage” by Michele Weiner Davis
1:10PM-2:10PM “Multicultural Counseling” by Esther Perel
2:30PM-5:30PM “Goals for Therapist” by Esther Perel
Update: As you can see, Day 1 started bright and early with a keynote speech from Robert Sapolsky, a world renowned neuroscientist, on the impact of stress on our physical health. Not surprisingly, stress is not good for our bodies and Dr. Sapolsky discussed how 77% of the population regularly experience physical symptoms related to stress which can alter the longevity of our lives and brain chemistry. He also touched on genetic predispositions for anxiety and his research on baboons in East Africa. This talk was (literally) a full house with someone citing 3,000 therapists in attendance and it really speaks to the interest in Dr. Sapolsky’s research and importance of our monitoring and managing stress as a therapist and client. At one point, they were turning people away because the room was completely full!
However, the highlight of Day 1 for me today was the talk by Michelle Weiner Davis (author of “The Sex Starved Marriage” “Divorce Busting” and “Healing from Infidelity” ) and her step-by-step treatment approach to dealing with infidelity in a relationship. Like myself, she argues that no two couples (and no two affairs) are alike. It is so important that each treatment plan is customized to the couple but also offers structure and direction so each partner has a sense of control and predictability during one of the most difficult and unpredictable times of their life.
For more information about Michelle Weiner Davis and her talk about couples dealing with infidelity click here.