EXCITING WORKSHOPS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
Stephen Howard sponsors and presents four or five continuing education workshops yearly on subjects of interest to therapists and counselors. In addition, workshops are available to organizations; he has presented to groups local and national, including the National Association of Social Workers, the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the Licensed Professional Counselors Association,Odyssey Family Counseling Center, and various therapeutic facilities, church groups, and community clinics.
Some of his most popular workshops are listed here and described below. (Others can be designed to meet the needs of your organization.)
THE ETHICAL PSYCHOTHERAPIST
EROS: ALL ABOUT ROMANCE, SEX, LOVE, INTIMACY
AND MARRIAGE
LET’S REALLY TALK ABOUT SEX
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: WHAT THE THERAPIST NEEDS TO
KNOW
THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE THERAPIST
THE ART AND ETHICS OF COUPLE THERAPY
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND THE SPIRIT
ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY
If these or other continuing education endeavors are of interest, please contact us at stephenhowardmd@gmail.com, or 404-843-9072.
THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE THERAPIST
RAGE, FEAR, DESIRE, LOVE AND LOSS IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY RELATIONSHIP
The psychotherapy relationship is a deeply personal and intimate one. Because of this, the personality of the therapist is the single most important element of therapeutic change; it is the X-ray, the scalpel, and the healing balm. It has even been said that psychotherapy is about who we are when we are with our clients.
Just who are we as therapists and as people? How do our lives, our struggles, and our own powerful feelings affect the therapy, and how do we manage these things? In the midst of the anxieties and imperfections of our own lives, how do we keep ourselves mindful, open and caring?
What is the effect on the therapist of endlessly entering and ending these intimate relationships? What needs of ours are being filled, and when is that appropriate? How much do we reveal ourselves to clients, and why? How do we keep ourselves from arrogance, caretaking, boredom and ethical mistakes? How can we counsel others when we ourselves are all too human and fallible? How can we think about “dual relationships”; what are the responsibilities and dangers? Finally and crucially, how can we be fully present for others and still take good care of ourselves?
“Wonderful review of the art of psychotherapy and the use of the therapist’s self.”
“Excellent mature material – not a rehash of elementary content.”
“Dr Howard is an excellent weaver – of tales, of history and of the threads presented spontaneously in the room.”
THE ETHICAL PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Ethics cannot be simply about a code of conduct. It is rooted in the character and thinking of the individual who wishes to be an ethical person and therapist.
“Ethics by the rules” is often minimally helpful in complex moral situations, and then only as long as the situation is specifically covered by the rules; as long as the rules are not in conflict with other rules and values; and as long as there is not too much human temptation involved. In search of our personal integrity we will explore the processes of ethical decision-making, utilizing insights from our religious, literary, scientific, philosophical and historical traditions. We will propose that an enlightened and flexible ethic can proceed from the intimate depths of the individual in relationship with others.
In the process of making creative ethical decisions, we first acknowledge and embrace everything within ourselves – the generative and the destructive, the hateful and the loving, and whatever else we find. Then we learn to make conscious and repeated choices, determining which elements of ourselves we allow to manifest in the world, and which we choose to contain. Authentic moral choices are based on mindfulness, responsibility and compassion, qualities that determine the difference between good and evil in our personal and therapeutic acts.
“Thought-provoking content and authentic presenter made this experience great, something that will continue “gnawing” for a while – in the best possible way.”
“I loved your use of literature and poetry in the workshop! I especially valued the meaningful discussion of love in therapy.”
“This is the best Ethics workshop I’ve ever attended! Most are boring and just read the rules to us. You kept me thinking and engaged my interest the whole time.”
EROS: All about Romance, Sex, Love, Intimacy and Marriage
[Although this workshop was designed for therapists, it can also be adopted for a lay audience.]
In this workshop we will explore the dynamics involved in sustaining intimacy, passion and connection in relationships. We will consider how this understanding can help our work as therapists to perplexed individuals and couples.
What is marriage today? Why do so many marriages fail, and is there anything therapists can do about this? Is romance the same as love? Why does “the honeymoon” end, and what happens when it does? Can people really love for a lifetime? What is the role of sexual passion over many years? And how is intimacy possible?
When our clients come to us with their problems in romance and love, marriage, intimacy and sex, we ourselves may be unclear about the answers to these basic questions. Our understanding of their situations will have profound effects on the therapy we do. Our cultural assumptions are often a source of confusion; and while we learn a great deal about therapeutic technique, there is little in the literature to clarify fundamental questions about these subjects. This workshop will offer both theoretical and practical answers to those questions.
“Presenter is well informed and very thoughtful. Material was enhanced by case illustrations from Dr. Howard’s practice to bring his excellent modeling to life. Loved the historical backgrounds for romance, marriage, and sex.”
“Dr Howard has a wonderful warm way of presenting! His workshops are delightful.”
“The discussion of the meaning of romance and love was most enlightening. Wish I’d heard this stuff when I was younger.”
LET’S REALLY TALK ABOUT SEX
[This can be presented as a one-day workshop, but the two-day ten-credit format allows greater comprehensiveness and more opportunity for participants explore their own thoughts and feelings about this complex subject. Spouses and partners often attend and are welcome.]
Sex and sexuality are profound mysteries, touching on birth, intimacy, love, identity, morality, longing and joy. No human experience is more ubiquitous, more difficult to discuss socially and in therapy, or more riddled with misconceptions and conventional “wisdom”. Sex brings out the best and worst in us.
When our clients bring to us their issues of sex and sexuality, how lucid is our thinking and how much are we biased by our own cultural, religious, familial and personal experiences? How comfortable and skilled are we even talking with our clients about sex? How much did we learn about it in graduate school – little to none? Do we find ourselves overtly or subtly avoiding the discussion, not asking the questions?
We will consider the astonishing variety and diversity of human sexuality, including chastity, promiscuity, fidelity and infidelity, “perversion”, BDSM, pornography, absexuality, sexual addiction, and the vast subjects of sexual preference, desire, and gender and transgender identity. We will call on evolutionary and scientific thinking regarding human sexuality, the findings of endocrine and brain research, and the implications of modern medical practice. We will consider the contextual landscapes of culture, history, Scriptural religion, anthropology and psychotherapy, concluding with discussions of sex in intimate relationships and sexual issues in couple therapy.
“Dr Howard’s knowledge of the subject, and his comfort and respect in discussing it, helped us all to be more open and easy.”
”Great! Covered things never talked about.”
“The depth and scope of knowledge presented was remarkable, yet there was so much more I wanted to hear. Even the two-day format was too short; this could be a year’s course!”
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: WHAT THE THERAPIST NEEDS TO KNOW
This workshop is designed to address the everyday work of therapists, rather than technical material primarily of interest to physicians and researchers. While the scientific information will be carefully illustrated, the orientation will be clinical and practical, both broader and more relevant to the psychotherapy endeavor.
With the media and the psychiatric profession popularizing a biological disease model, it is crucial that therapists understand the real possibilities and limitations of pharmacological treatment. What does medication do, and what doesn’t it do? How does medication affect psychotherapy, spirituality, and the living of one’s life? When does it enhance or interfere with therapy? What are the drawbacks and dangers, and when is medication just not a good idea? How does the therapist judge this? How do clients experience themselves and their lives while taking medication? How does it affect creativity? Sexuality? What are the ethical considerations? What crucial role does the therapist play? How does one shepherd the three-way relationship of therapist, physician and client, and how does this relationship affect the therapy?
“In 30 years of practice, this was the first time this topic was addressed to the daily concerns of therapists. An excellent presentation that made complicated neurobiology accessible.”
“Appreciated the attention to therapist/psychiatrist/patient relationships, rarely covered in psychopharmacology seminars.”
“The discussion of the problems of DSM and diagnosis was the most balanced and scientific I have ever heard. The macro and micro information about the brain and medication was excellent. A real help to me in my clinical work.”
THE ART AND ETHICS OF COUPLE THERAPY
Today we examine some important but too-little-discussed aspects of couples’ lives together, and the insertion of the therapist into this relationship. We will consider the tasks to be accomplished in the clinical work, along with their ethical implications.
What are romance, attraction and love really about? Why are long-term relationships so difficult today, and what is the role of the therapist in addressing these difficulties? Who is considered the client, and is there a place for individual therapy in couples work? What about secrecy, boundaries, values, and other ethical issues? When and how does the therapist address sexual matters, and what are the appropriate limits? And finally, how does the therapist take care of him/herself while working with couples?
”I am so pleasantly surprised by Dr. Howard’s program. He is an absolute gem to the field and the typically boring topic of ethics. I love his therapeutic stance – tolerance, compassion and love.”
“You did a good job of staying non-judgmental and yet being willing to express your opinion. Thanks for being gay-affirming, an important stance in our culture.”
“Really enjoyed your calm, peaceful demeanor. You created an open atmosphere that cultivated questions and discussion”
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND THE SPIRIT
Spirituality is not about what one believes. It is about the questions one asks.
What gives life meaning? How are we connected with each other, and with that which is beyond ourselves? Are there values that can allow our lives to transcend mere biology? How do our religions and other sources address these questions?
Mahatma Gandhi said, “All religions are true.” How can this be, and what does it have to do with psychotherapy? What is the proper place of spirit and religion in therapy? What happens when we and our clients hold different ideas or beliefs? How do our own spiritual leanings drive the therapy we do, and when is this an intrusion? How do we find common language?
Among the topics we will explore this day:
Psychotherapy and Religion – A Clash of Values?
Spiritual Issues in Psychotherapy
What Is the Place of Faith?
The Beliefs of Client and Therapist: Working with Similarities and Differences
Encountering Fundamentalism
Literalism, Metaphor, Poetry – The Language of the Dialogue
Science, Spirit and Religion
Confronting Evil
Love and Healing
“Interesting use of various religious perspectives, the historical and cultural development of religion, and how that becomes relevant for psychotherapy.”
“Sophisticated concepts. This workshop could have lasted a week.”
“I think you are a man of great wisdom and I am grateful to learn from you. I appreciate your knowledge across a wide variety of disciplines – medicine, philosophy, religion, psychiatry, etc.”
“… reminds me of the sacred nature of our work.”
A number of shorter trainings are available, or can be designed to meet your organization’s needs. A sampling follows:
DUAL RELATIONSHIPS: ETHICAL AND CLINICAL QUESTIONS
Although we might want to deny it, “dual” or complex relationships occur repeatedly between therapists and clients. Managing them through blanket prohibitions, or pretending they do not happen, is unhelpful and superficial, and drives the behavior underground. We will discuss the reality of such relationships, and the dangers and opportunities they present for both therapy and supervision.
THE DYNAMICS OF COUPLE THERAPY, AN INTRODUCTION
It is apparent to everyone that relationships are often complicated, and we are not very good at them. What makes them so difficult? What are our expectations, and how realistic are they? What is intimacy, and why is it so challenging? After addressing these questions, we will talk about couple therapy. This will include initial principles, dealing with difference and conflict, and the care of the therapist in seeing couples.
SEXUAL ISSUES IN COUPLE THERAPY
Dealing with a couple’s sex life is often delicate. Talking about sex can raise anxiety, not only because our culture remains ambivalent and uncomfortable about the subject, but also because sexuality is a core part of who we are, and is so often accompanied by embarrassment, shame, and sex-negative attitudes. What is normal and abnormal sex? How do we provide the safety for couples to discuss sex in an intimate and open manner? What are the questions that allow couples to expand and enjoy this aspect of their relationship, and how can the therapist lead this discussion?
MEN AND INTIMACY (AND WOMEN, TOO)
What is intimacy? Is it the same as closeness, or is that something different? What does intimacy have to do with romance and love? Why do many people avoid intimacy? What makes it seem so problematic and even dangerous at times? Is intimacy really more difficult for men than for women, and if so, why? How do the gender expectations of our patriarchal culture get in the way? How does intimacy work in love and marriage? What are the special issues and challenges involved when we work with men in therapy, individually and in couples? In this workshop we will explore the dynamics involved in achieving and sustaining intimacy, and the special problems that arise as gender issues.
